
« Library of Congress. 1 



Chap. 



Shelf 






m>UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.£« 

1 1 9 - 167 £#sgg 



/? 



\ 







?. 






7tt 



tt*^ 







OLD FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. 



HISTORY 



JletoarJt baptist City jfttsston 

FROM ITS ORIGIN IN 1851 

TO ITS 

SEVENTEENTH ANNIVERSARY IN 1868. 



REV. EDGAR M. LEVY, D. D. 



PUBLISHED WITH THE AUTHORITY OF THE BOARD. 





NEW YORK: 

PUBLISHED BY HURD AND HOUGHTON. 

CamlmDge: Xlibersftoe JJress. 

1869. 






'. 



*v%^ 



CONTENTS. 



PART I. 

PAGE 

Origin . . . - . . 5 

PART II. 

Plan of Operations . . . .... 9 

PART III. 

Early Efforts 19 

PART IV. 

Organization of Churches 27 

The North Baptist Church 27 

The Fifth Baptist Church . . . . . 37 

Fairmount Baptist Church 49 

Mount Pleasant Baptist Church . . . 57 

The Pilgrim Baptist Church 63 

PART V. 

German Church and Mission 71 

The First German Baptist Church . . . 71 

The Twelfth Ward Mission 79 



IV CONTENTS. 



PART VI. 

PAGE 

Sketches of First and South Churches ... 85 

First Baptist Church 85 

History of the South Baptist Church . . 113 



PART VII. 

Growth from Effort . 




[33 




THE BAPTIST CITY MISSION 



OF 

NEWARK, NEW JERSEY. 

— •—— 

$art f it$t. 

ORIGIN. 

A nameless man amid a crowd 

That thronged the daily mart, 
Let fall the words of hope and love, 

Unstudied from the heart. 
A whisper on the tumult thrown, 

A transitory breath, — 
It raised a brother from the dust, 

It saved a soul from death. 
O germ ! O fount ! O word of love ! 

O thought at random cast ! 
Ye were but little at the first. 

But mighty at the last." 

OME of the most important and 

beneficent enterprises, both in the 

world and in the Church, have 

had their origin in what appeared 

an accidental, but what proved to be a provi- 




6 HISTORY OF THE NEWARK 

dential, suggestion of the human mind. It 
was so in the origin of the Sunday-school 
work, by Robert Raikes ; it was so in the 
origin of the British and Foreign Bible 
Society, and of the English Baptist Mis- 
sionary Society. Results of infinite moment 
lie hidden in a passing thought, or in a 
simple suggestion. This fact is illustrated 
in the origin of the Newark Baptist City 
Mission. 

Toward the close of the year 185 1, the 
pastors of the First and South churches 1 
were one day walking arm in arm, on 
Washington Street, when the former said 
to the latter, " I will tell you what I have 
been thinking about." 

" And what is it, pray ? " 

" I have been thinking," said he, " that we 
ought to be planting some new churches in 
this growing city." 

u It is a good thought," was the prompt 
reply ; " it ought to be done." 

Thus the conversation went on, till they 

1 Rev. H. C. Fish, D. D., and Rev. William Hague, D. D. 



BAPTIST CITY MISSION. J 

were about to part, when it was agreed to 
speak to some of the leading brethren in 
each church, and get them together in the 
private parlor of Mr. John M. Davies, a 
member of the South Baptist Church. 

Accordingly, on the evening of Decem- 
ber ist, of the above year, some ten or 
twelve persons met at the place designated, 
for consultation and prayer. At this meet- 
ing, the religious condition of the city, the 
demands of a constantly augmenting popu- 
lation, and the capabilities and duties of the 
Baptist denomination in Newark, were sub- 
jects of solemn and earnest consideration. 
The result was, that the following resolution 
was passed : — 

"Resolved: That in the providence of God, there is 
a wide field for missionary labor in our city, and mo- 
tives for its prosecution that should quicken us to 
renewed diligence and holy consecration." 

It was also deemed desirable to employ 
immediately a missionary, and to open two 
places for preaching — one in the North 
Ward and another in the Fifth Ward, and 



8 NEWARK BAPTIST CITY MISSION. 

liberal pledges were made for that purpose. 
A public meeting was arranged for, in or- 
der to secure the action of the whole de- 
nomination. 

At this meeting, held in the First Church, 
December 7, 1851, an interest in behalf of 
the enterprise was manifested by the spon- 
taneous contribution of additional sums, 
amounting to more than one thousand dol- 
lars. A plan of action was also adopted, by 
which each church was to elect six members, 
including its pastor, w T ho should constitute a 
Board to direct the affairs of the Mission. 

The first meeting of the delegates ap- 
pointed to constitute this Board, was held 
on the evening of January 21st, 1852, in 
the lecture-room of the First Church. It 
was composed of the following persons: H. 
C. Fish, William Hague, David Jones, Lewis 
Nichols, John Compton, Samuel Mason, Sr., 
John Manning, Robert Johnston, John M. 
Davies, Daniel C. Whitman, Daniel M. Wil- 
son. The Board was then formally organ- 
ized by the election of proper officers. 





$art £ctonii» 

PLAN OF OPERATIONS. 

^^jEFORE proceeding to speak of 
the organization and support of 
churches, a few words of explana- 
tion may be necessary, in order 
that the constitution of the Board and the 
mode of operations may be clearly under- 
stood. 

I, The Board has a legal existence. For 
some years its operations were prosecuted 
in a very limited and simple manner. But 
in the course of time mission property 
accumulated, and deeds of land for chapels 
and church edifices had to be secured. It 
was found necessary for the Board to be an 
incorporated body in order to hold prop- 
erty by law. The following act of incor- 
poration was granted by the Legislature in 
1861: — 



IO HISTORY OF THE NEWARK 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY. 

An Act to incorporate the Baptist City Mission. 

i. Be it enacted by the Senate and General Assembly 
of the State of New Jersey, That Henry C. Fish, Daniel 
M. Wilson, Edgar M. Levy, Joseph O. Nichols, Robert 
Atkinson, Ebenezer Tingley, David T. Morrill, Joseph 
Morris, Charles W. Clarke, Daniel C. Whitman, and 
Conrad Bordenbender, and their successors, being 
members of the Baptist Church, be and they are hereby 
constituted a body corporate, by the name of the Bap- 
tist City Mission, and by that name shall have per- 
petual succession, and exercise and be clothed with the 
powers and privileges enumerated in the first section 
of the act entitled " An Act concerning Corporations," 
approved February fourteenth, eighteen hundred and 
forty-six, and shall be capable of holding, taking, and 
receiving by purchase, gift, grant, devise, bequest, or 
otherwise, and of conveying, mortgaging, and granting 
all such property and estate/real, personal, and mixed, 
which may be necessary or proper for the purposes 
and objects of the corporation, provided, that the yearly 
value of the property which said corporation shall at 
any one time hold or own shall not exceed Fifty Thou- 
sand Dollars. 

2. And be it enacted, That the objects of said corpor- 
ation shall be the furtherance and promotion of the 
interests of the Baptist denomination of Christians in 
the City of Newark, in this State, and its immediate 
vicinity. 



BAPTIST CITY MISSION. \ \ 

3. And be it enacted, That the management of the 
affairs and concerns of said corporation shall be and is 
vested in eleven or more trustees, as the by-laws may 
direct, who shall be citizens of the said .city of Newark, 
or its vicinity, and members of the said denomination 
of Christians (the persons named in the first section of 
this act to be the first trustees), a majority of whom 
shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of busi- 
ness ; they shall be annually elected, and shall hold 
their first meeting at the call of said first trustees, and 
shall appoint a president, secretary, and such other 
officer and officers as they may deem necessary. 

4. And be it enacted, That the trustees may provide 
by-laws to determine the number of said trustees to be 
annually elected ; to provide for the election or appoint- 
ment for their holding over in case the regular annual 
election, should not take place and provide for filling 
vacancies, etc. 

5. And be it e?iacted, That this act shall take effect 
immediately! 

II. The members of the Board, or, ac- 
cording to the charter, the Trustees, consist 
of the pastor and four other members of 
each church, who are elected by the churches 
in April of each year. 1 

1 Missions not organized into churches have the privilege of 
being represented by their missionary and one delegate, who may 
participate in the proceedings, but are not entitled to vote. 



12 HISTORY OF THE NEWARK 

III. All the members of the Baptist 
churches of Newark are members of the 
City Mission. They are entitled to vote in 
their respective churches for those who are 
to represent them in the Board. They 
also have the privilege of organizing the 
anniversary meetings by the election of a 
Chairman and a Secretary ; approving or 
otherwise the reports of the Board, and 
may give instructions to the same. They 
are likewise expected to contribute towards 
the object of the City Mission, each one 
doing something. Particular attention is 
given to interest every member, old and 
young, in this work of the extension of the 
Redeemer's kingdom. 

IV. The Board meets on the last Mon- 
day evening of each month. The monthly 
meetings are conducted according to the 
following order : First, devotional services ; 
second, calling the roll ; 1 third, reading of 
minutes ; fourth, treasurer's report ; fifth, 
receipts of money from the collectors ; sixth, 

1 Members not present at roll-call are fined twenty-five cents, 
unless detained by sickness or absence from the city. 



BAPTIST CITY MISSION. I 3 

reports of committees ; seventh, reports from 
the Missions ; eighth, miscellaneous busi- 
ness ; ninth, devotional exercises and ad- 
journment. 

V. At the first meeting of the new Board 
each year, one of the delegates from each 
church is appointed a collector for the 
church which he represents. It is his duty 
to keep a book and secure an annual con- 
tribution, if possible, from every member of 
said church. He reports to the Treasurer 
of the Board at each monthly meeting. 

VI. The pastors and missionaries are ex- 
pected to preach on the subject of city mis- 
sions, and otherwise direct attention to the 
work of the Board, on the morning of the 
Anniversary Sabbath of each year. Sub- 
scription papers are then circulated through 
the congregation, to relieve, if possible, the 
collector from the labor of a personal appli- 
cation. Payments of subscriptions may 
be made to the collector, annually, quar- 
terly, or monthly, at the pleasure of the 
subscriber. 



14 



HISTORY OF THE NEWARK 



VII. An annual and a semi-annual meet- 
ing of the City Mission are held. The 
annual meeting occurs on the second Sab- 
bath in April, and the semi-annual on the 
second Sabbath in October. 

These meetings, of late, have been held 
in the edifice of the First Baptist Church; 
the capacity of the house and its central 
location, making it all that could be desired 
for the gathering of the churches and the 
greeting of the Baptist Brotherhood. 

At the annual meeting in April, it is the 
custom of the Sabbath-schools of all the 
churches and all the missions to proceed in 
a body to the First Church. The spacious 
galleries, and a part of the main body of the 
house, are usually filled with the children 
and their teachers, the remainder of the 
sanctuary being crowded with an attentive 
audience. It is impossible to give an ade- 
quate description of the beautiful sight pre- 
sented at these annual meetings, or of the 
effect produced on the heart by all the chil- 
dren uniting to fill the house of the Lord 



BAPTIST CITY MISSION. I 5 

with their songs of praise. Memorable, 
indeed, are those occasions, when the vigor 
of health, and the experience of age, and 
the flower of youth, and the fervor of piety, 
are found in beautiful combination, every 
one rejoicing in the success of the past and 
praying and planning for the work of the 
future. 

VIII. The principal aim of the Mission 
is to encourage the organization of Sunday- 
schools, and to provide a preached gospel 
for the destitute in the growing sections 
of the city. The Board does not primarily 
propose to purchase lots and build meet- 
ing-houses. The usual course is to open 
schools and send forth missionaries, and 
leave the question of building chapels and 
the organization of churches to be developed 
by the success of the missions. The prin- 
ciple has been to follow, and not to precede, 
the guidance of Providence. 

IX. It has also been a chief aim to pre- 
serve in the denomination in the city, " the 
unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." 



1 6 HISTORY OF THE NEWARK 

And this result has been happily realized. 
Like a generous, faithful, loving mother, 
the Mission has given to the new interests 
support, sympathy, and unwearied care. 
Like the eagle, she has borne them on her 
wings until they were able to go forth alone. 
Every month the missionary or pastor has 
come to the Board with a statement of the 
wants, the trials, the joys, or the sorrows of 
his particular charge. Here he has always 
found sympathy. Advice has been kindly 
given. Material aid has been generously 
voted, and sometimes special prayer has 
been offered that God would interpose, and 
do that which His own cause required, and 
which was beyond human power to accom- 
plish. 

The influence of these monthly meet- 
ings cannot be over-estimated. Thev have 
kept the channel of sympathy between the 
churches free from obstruction. They 
have checked the srrowth of selfishness, bv 
opening fields of usefulness in which all 
have been called to work. Thev have cul- 



BAPTIST CITY MISSION. \ 7 

tivated unity and harmony among the 
churches, by affording opportunities of fre- 
quent intercourse with each other for 
Christian consultation and prayer. Here, 
in these monthly meetings, the members of 
the Board have grasped each other's hands, 
as messengers of the churches, in fraternal 
love. Here they have united in aggressive 
movements against the kingdom of dark- 
ness. Here they have proved to be " the 
helpers of each other's joys," and the bearers 
of each other's burdens in fulfillment of the 
law of Christ. 

The moral power of such a union of the 
churches could not fail of producing the 
greatest possible amount of good. And its 
sweet spirit has often recalled the words of 
the Psalmist : " Behold, how good and how 
pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together 
in unity ! // is like the precious ointment 
upon the head, that ran down upon the 
beard, even Aaron's beard : that went down 
to the skirts of his garments ; as the dew of 
Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon 



I 8 NEWARK BAPTIST CITY MISSION. 

the mountains of Zion : for there the Lord 
commanded the blessing, even life for ever- 
more." 

We may add, what lover of Zion has not 
had occasion to deplore the absence of such 
unity in our chief cities. Too often the 
constitution of churches results from un- 
happy divisions, or in some spirit that is not 
in accordance with that of the gospel. And 
too often the wealth and talent of the de- 
nomination has been concentrated and un- 
developed in a single inert and overgrown 
body. 

It is, perhaps, not too much to say, that 
could an unity like that realized in our city, 
be attained in other places, the strength of 
the denomination in those localities would 
be increased ten fold. 





EARLY EFFORTS. 




HE first act of the Board was to 
obtain a proper person to fill the 
position of missionary. Rev. C. 
W. Waterhouse was selected, who 
entered upon the duties of the mission in 
April, 1852. Regular services were estab- 
lished at 10^ a. m., in the third-story room 
of a store No. [02 Broad Street, and in 
Humanity Hall, in the Fifth Ward, at 3 p. m. 
Sabbath-schools were commenced at both 
stations. At first, the number who met on 
the Sabbath for religious instruction and 
worship was very small. As the Board, 
however, provided better accommodations, 
the attendance, both of the congregations 
and the Sabbath-schools, increased rapidly, 
while the missions grew in influence and 
usefulness. 



20 HISTORY OF THE NEWARK 

Under the severe labors necessarily de- 
manded by the cultivation of both these 
missions, situated in opposite parts of the 
city, the health of the missionary, Mr. 
Waterhouse, became so seriously impaired 
as to compel him to cease altogether from 
this service. On accepting his resignation, 
the Board caused the following to be re- 
corded in the minutes : 

" The Board would at this time bear testimony to 
brother Waterhouse's self-sacrificing labors, his fervent 
prayers, his consistent, devoted life in the cause of his 
Master, and his zeal for the Mission." 

The work of this first missionary was that 
of the sower rather than of the reaper ; but 
the seed planted under much discourage- 
ment has since borne fruit. 

The Board called Rev. Thomas G. Wright 
to be his successor; and in April, 1853, he 
entered upon his missionary labors. 

A chapel in the North Ward having 
been completed, mainly through the liber- 
ality of Messrs. D. M. Wilson and John M. 
Davies, the missionary was directed to give 



BAPTIST CITY MISSION. 2 I 

the chief part of his time to that field, the 
Board regarding it as the more promising. 
He preached, however, every Sunday after- 
noon in the Fifth Ward. 

It was soon determined to employ anoth- 
er missionary. Accordingly, in October, 
1853, David T. Morrill, a member of the 
Church at Rahway, and a graduate of the 
Rochester Theological Seminary, was in- 
vited to spend a Sunday in Newark. After 
preaching in the First and South Churches, 
he was elected by the Board as missionary 
for the Fifth Ward. 

Mr. Morrill began his mission work the 
first Sabbath in November, 1853. The pul- 
pit of the South Church becoming vacant 
by the resignation of Dr. Hague, Mr. Mor- 
rill, by the request of the Church and the 
consent of the Board, preached there for a 
time, on the Sabbath, and prosecuted his 
mission work during the week. 

Under the faithful labors of the mission- 
aries, the instructions of devoted teachers 
in the Sabbath-schools, and the prayerful 



2 2 HISTORY OF THE NEWARK 

and cheerful expenditure of the Lord's 
money, the cause of City Missions con- 
tinued to bring forth fruit. Frequent re- 
vivals were enjoyed, and many, from time 
to time, were converted. These were added 
by baptism to the First and South churches. 
As these were the only two churches in the 
city at this time, there was no other way of 
gathering in those who were converted in 
the mission fields. The idea entertained by 
the Board at first was, to organize Sunday- 
schools, and hold prayer-meetings, and af- 
ford opportunities for hearing the gospel to 
those who lived in destitute parts of the 
city. It was not the intention to favor the 
constitution of churches until there was a 
sufficient number gathered in these mis- 
sions to insure their permanency. Upon this 
theory, however, the missionaries worked 
under a great disadvantage. They were 
not able to retain in the mission as active 
workers those who had been converted. A 
wiser course was afterwards adopted. As 
soon as practicable churches were organized, 



BAPTIST CITY MISSION. 



23 



and the converts were baptized by the mis- 
sionaries, and became identified with the 
mission churches. This was found by ex- 
perience to greatly facilitate the procuring 
of houses of worship, and the usefulness of 
the missionaries. 

It will be seen by this that great care has 
always been taken by the Board in encour- 
aging the organization of the churches. 
Not until the working force in any mis- 
sion has given promise of success, and the 
Board, having counted the cost, has been 
prepared to furnish the necessary means so 
long as the church should require help, has 
an organization been favored. In this way, 
immature constitutions of churches, and 
those failures and disorganizations which 
have so often discouraged and grieved the 
denomination in other places, have been 
avoided. 

The reproof which the Saviour admin- 
istered to the man who commenced to build 
without counting the cost, is applicable to 
the organization of churches. It is wiser 



24 NEWARK BAPTIST CITY MISSION. 

to wait years in laying the foundations se- 
curely, rather than to hazard a failure by an 
indiscreet and hasty movement. And yet 
too much caution, which may amount to 
timidity and weakness, must be avoided, lest 
the hearts of those who are laboring in the 
mission field should be discouraged by the 
impression that the cause will never rise to 
the dignity and responsibility of an inde- 
pendent church. 

The Board has used great wisdom here ; 
and so far no mission has been allowed to 
suffer from unnecessary delay, nor has any 
church, after its organization, been permitted 
to languish and expire for the want of 
support. 





NORTH BAPTIST CHURCH. 





w 



$att f ourtfs* 

ORGANIZATION OF CHURCHES. 



THE NORTH BAPTIST CHURCH. 
Constituted July 26, 1854. 

HE mission in the North Ward, 
under the fostering care of the 
Board, and the labors of the mis- 
sionary, Rev. T. G. Wright, had 
grown to such an extent within the two 
years of its existence, that the subject of 
organizing a church began to.be seriously 
considered. At a meeting held in the 
chapel, June n, 1854, Mr. H. M. Baldwin, 
of the South Church, moderator, the follow- 
ing resolution was adopted : — 

" Resolved, That the time has come for the organiza- 
tion of a regular Baptist Church in the field now occu- 
pied by our mission station connected with the North 
Baptist Chapel in Orange Street." 



2 8 HISTORY OF THE NEWARK 

This resolution was duly considered by 
the Board, and being approved, measures 
were immediately taken to organize a 
church. A council, composed of delegates 
from the churches of Piscataway, Orange, 
Plainfield, Bloomneld, Scotch Plains, Lyons 
Farms, Elizabeth, Jersey City, Hoboken, 
First and South Newark, met in the chapel, 
July 26, 1854. This council unanimously 
agreed to recognize the body as a regular 
Baptist Church under the name of the 
" North Baptist Church." The number of 
constituent members was forty-nine. 

Public services of recognition were held 
the same evening, when Rev. O. S. Stearns, 
pastor of the South Church, preached the 
Sermon ; Rev. H. C. Fish, pastor of the 
First Church, gave the Hand of Fellow- 
ship ; and Rev. S. J. Drake, of Plainfield, 
the Charge. 

Upon the succeeding Sabbath, July 30, 
the first member was admitted to the new 
church by baptism. In August, 1854, Rev. 
Mr. Wright, after performing much mis- 



BAPTIST CITY MISSION. 29 

sionary labor, with fidelity and zeal, re- 
signed his connection with the Board. The 
Church, with the advice of the Board, ex- 
tended a unanimous call to the Rev. Levi 
Morse, to become their pastor. Nine hun- 
dred dollars were appropriated towards his 
support. 

After a pastorate of nearly four years, 
during which time ninety-three were added 
to the Church, Mr. Morse resigned. 

During the time of their destitution, the 
Church, through their delegates, were in 
frequent consultation with the Board, and 
prayer was more than once offered at the 
monthly meeting, that God would direct in 
the choice of a pastor. 

May 10, 1858, the Church extended a call 
to Robert Atkinson, a licentiate of Fifth 
Church, Philadelphia. Mr. Atkinson ac- 
cepted the call, and was ordained to the 
work of the Christian ministry, September 
1, 1858, in the First Baptist Church. Soon 
after his settlement, the presence and power 
of the Holy Spirit became manifest in the 



30 HISTORY OF THE NEWARK 

meetings, and a season of extensive revival 
was enjoyed. 

At a meeting held March 2, 1859, the 
Church resolved to enter at once upon the 
work of securing a more commodious house 
of worship. The little chapel, with which 
so many hallowed memories clustered, was 
no longer, either in capacity or convenience, 
suitable to the growing demands of the 
community in which it had been placed. 

The Board was consulted. All the mem- 
bers felt the necessity of cooperating in the 
movement proposed. But at this time the 
denomination was engaged in assisting the 
First Church in building their large and 
expensive church edifice. This was the 
mother-church, and all were called to spe- 
cial effort and cheerful liberality. The 
strain upon the energies and resources of 
the Baptists of Newark was severe and long 
continued ; but through the goodness of 
God the harmonious counsels and patient 
endurance of the brethren were crowned 
with success. The First Church was re- 



BAPTIST CITY MISSION. 3 I 

lieved of all financial embarrassment, and 
in the possession of a noble and attractive 
house of worship. 

The way was now open to prosecute the 
building of an edifice for the North Church. 
A beautiful location, corner of Orange and 
High Streets, 140 by 70 feet, was selected 
and purchased for five thousand three hun- 
dred and fifty dollars. 

In 1863 plans were adopted by both the 
Church and the Board, and a joint com- 
mittee appointed to attend to the erection of 
the new chapel. In April, 1864, the Sun- 
day-school room was occupied, and in the 
autumn of the same year, the remainder of 
the building was completed and dedicated 
to the service of God. The North Church 
paid towards this object the sum of two 
thousand five hundred dollars. By the sale 
of their old house and lot, four thousand 
more were realized. The First Church fur- 
nished fifteen hundred dollars ; the South 
Church the same amount. In all, nine thou- 
sand five hundred dollars was raised in the 



32 



HISTORY OF THE NEWARK 



city of Newark ; and the remainder, about 
four thousand dollars, through the exertions 
of the pastor, was secured from abroad. 
This is the only instance in which help has 
been extended from sister churches out of 
the city. 

Grateful mention should here be made of 
the Christian liberality of Mr. John M. 
Davies, whose name has already promi- 
nently appeared in these pages. Mr. Davies 
has removed from the city, but he still re- 
tains the warmest interest in the Mission 
which he helped to organize. For assist- 
ance in the erection of the chapel in the 
North Ward, and the new edifice which 
the church there, now occupies, as well as 
the substantial aid rendered in the build- 
ing of the two houses of worship which 
the South and First Churches occupy, the 
Baptists of Newark owe a lasting debt of 
gratitude to Mr. Davies. 

Immediately following the dedication of 
the new chapel, a blessed work of the Spirit 
began, continuing for more than four 



BAPTIST CITY MISSION. 33 

months, resulting in greatly refreshing the 
Church, and adding to its number forty- 
four by baptism. 

In 1865-66, thirty-three were added by 
baptism, and during the latter year only 
one month passed without witnessing the 
administration of the ordinance. 

The Church commenced the year 1867 
with a day of fasting and prayer, which was 
followed by a very quiet and gracious re- 
vival. Thirty-five were baptized. Unlike 
former seasons, the work began and con- 
tinued among the adults, and quite a num- 
ber of husbands for whom wives had long 
been praying, were brought into the fold. 

In December of this year, the pastor, 
after a faithful and laborious ministry of ten 
years, resigned, in order to accept an ap- 
pointment of the Board of the American 
Baptist Home Mission Society, for Kansas 
and adjoining States. 

Not without years of earnest labor, ac- 
companied by the cheerful sacrifice of time 
and means, and the earnest prayers and 



34 NEWARK BAPTIST CITY MISSION. 

united efforts of the Church and the Board, 
have the results here sketched been at- 
tained. And who that looks at the attrac- 
tive chapel of the North Church, occupying 
as it does one of the most beautiful sites 
in the city, and takes a survey of the field 
-in which it has been planted, and contem- 
plates the souls that have been gathered, 
can doubt that the labor and the money 
have been wisely expended ? 

It should here be added, that the benevo- 
lent contributions of this Church, since its 
constitution, have amounted to the sum of 
#3,950.22. The membership now consists 
of three hundred and one. 





FIFTH BAPTIST CHURCH. 
REV. D. T. MORRILL, PASTOR. 



NEWARK BAPTIST CITY MISSION. 37 



THE FIFTH BAPTIST CHURCH. 
Constituted March 19, 1855. 

The mission in the Fifth Ward, as has 
been stated, was commenced simultaneously 
with that in the North Ward. After the 
division of the two fields, Rev. D. T. Mor- 
rill became the missionary for the Fifth 
Ward. 

By request of the South Church, the 
Church at Rah way. of which Mr. Morrill was 
a member, invited a council to meet in the 
South Church, March 23, 1854, to consider 
the propriety of ordaining him to the work 
of the' Christian ministry. The council met 
accordingly, and after an examination of Mr. 
Morrill, proceeded to ordain him by the 
usual services. 

Mr. Morrill, being relieved in April, 
1854, from his engagement with the South 
3 



38 HISTORY OF THE NEWARK 

Church, entered fully upon his work in 
the Fifth Ward Mission. During the ensu- 
ing winter, God was pleased to bless the 
preached Word, and quite a number of per- 
sons were converted. It then became ap- 
parent that a church organization was indis- 
pensable to the greatest efficiency and suc- 
cess of the Mission. 

At a regular meeting of the Board, held 
March 5, 1855, after a full discussion, the 
following resolution was adopted : — 

"Resolved, that Rev. Mr. Morrill be instructed to 
obtain information as regards the material that can 
be gathered into a church organization, and report at 
a subsequent meeting." 

At a subsequent meeting, held March 19, 
the missionary reported that fifty-six persons 
had voluntarily tendered their names as 
willing to become constituent members of 
a new church organization, and that these 
persons had subscribed four hundred and 
seventy dollars toward the support of the 
gospel for the first year ; whereupon it was 
unanimously resolved, that in view of the 



BAPTIST CITY MISSION. 39 

circumstances, the Board recommend that 
a church be constituted at an early day in 
the Fifth Ward. 

On Monday, March 26, 1855, a council 
convened in the South Church, in response 
to letters of invitation. The Articles of 
Faith and Covenant, adopted by the breth- 
ren, being satisfactory, the council recom- 
mended their recognition as a regular Bap- 
tist church, to be called the Fifth Baptist 
Church of Newark. 1 The public services 
of recognition were held on the evening of 
the same day. Of the fifty-six members 
constituting this Church, about an equal 
number came from the First and the South 
churches. The Church proceeded imme- 
diately to elect their missionary, who, by his 
faithful services, had endeared himself to 
them, to fill the office of pastor. 

1 This name has been objected to by many, as not being liter- 
ally true. But considering the German Church as having prece- 
dence in point of time, the church is properly named. Another 
name would perhaps have been chosen ; but at the time of the 
organization, the church had no local habitation, and had been 
known as the Fifth Ward Mission. 



40 HISTORY OF THE NEWARK 

The first Lord's day after the organiza- 
tion and recognition of this new Church, 
was one full of solemn interest and heavenly 
joy. Six new-born souls awaited the holy 
rite that should introduce them into Christ's 
visible Kingdom. The hearts of all were 
lifted in praise. After a brief morning 
service in the hall, the Church repaired 
to the South Church, where the ordinance 
of Baptism was administered. In the after- 
noon the Lord's Supper was celebrated for 
the first time by this infant body and these 
new disciples were welcomed by the hand 
of fellowship. 

The great want of the Church now was a 
suitable place to meet in. It was evident 
to all that no very great and permanent 
growth could be expected with their pres- 
ent accommodations. In the early part of 
August the subject was earnestly discussed 
in church-meeting, and a resolution unan- 
imously passed, that " immediate measures 
be taken for the erection of a suitable house 
of worship." A building committee was' 



BAPTIST CITY MISSION. 



41 



also appointed. In January, 1856, the 
building committee reported to the Church 
that Deacon H. M. Baldwin, of the South 
Church, who from the first had manifested 
great interest in this Mission enterprise, 
would give two lots on the corner of Lafay- 
ette and Prospect Streets, when a house 
costing not less than ten thousand dollars 
should have been built and paid for. Mr. 
Baldwin's proposition was thankfully ac- 
cepted, and at the next meeting more than 
three thousand dollars were subscribed by 
those who were present, to be paid within 
two years, in eight equal installments. 

The Church then, through its Trustees, 
presented the following memorial to the 
Board : — 

" Dear Brethren : — In the past we have been ac- 
customed to look to you for advice and aid. This ad- 
vice and aid, accompanied by the Divine blessing, has 
resulted in the formation of a church which God has 
so increased as imperatively to demand, in our opinion, 
the speedy erection of a commodious house of wor- 
ship. A member of your Board, Mr. H. M. Bald- 
win, has magnanimously promised to deed to the 



42 



HISTORY OF THE NEWARK 



Trustees of this Church an eligible site costing two 
thousand two hundred and fifty dollars, when there 
shall have been erected and paid for, a house costing 
not less than ten thousand dollars. Pressed by the 
necessities of our present disadvantageous location, 
encouraged by this offer, and prompted by love to the 
cause of Christ, we resolved to make an effort within 
ourselves for the accomplishment of this object. And 
as the result of this, we have upwards of three thou- 
sand dollars subscribed. Thus situated we come to 
you for advice and aid. Shall the financial response 
be, ' Go forward ? ' when to go back is impossible, 
and to stand still imperils the cause ? We desire a 
prompt and prayerful reply. If the remaining amount 
is subscribed by the other Baptists in this city, relying 
upon Divine aid, we promise to sustain ourselves 
thereafter. 

"Yours, etc." 

[Signed by the Trustees in behalf of the Church.] 

To which the Board responded by pledg- 
ing their hearty sympathy and cooperation. 
Plans for the church edifice were soon 
adopted by the building committee of the 
Church and the committee appointed by 
the Board. 

The corner-stone was laid by the Rev. 
E. L. Magoon, D. D., September 15, 1856. 



BAPTIST CITY MISSION. 



43 



July 5, 1857, the lecture-room was dedi- 
cated with appropriate services. At once 
the congregation and Sunday-school began 
to increase. This was the year of the great 
financial convulsion, and the year also of 
the great awakening. In December, the 
Lord began to visit the church and con- 
gregation. The former was quickened to 
work and pray ; the latter awakened to a 
sense of their sins and their need of a 
Saviour. The revival was of such power as 
to move through all the holiday festivities 
without hindrance. As the result of this 
visitation of the Holy Spirit, one hundred 
and twenty-three persons were baptized 
and received into the fellowship of the 
Church. 

The house of worship having been fin- 
ished and furnished, was dedicated to the 
worship of God, April 21, 1858. Dr. Dow- 
ling, Dr. Babcock, and Rev. A. Kingman 
Nott, preached on that day. A small debt 
remained on the new house. This debt, 
like many others of a similar nature, seemed 



44 HISTORY OF THE NEWARK 

difficult to pay. The finances of the coun- 
try were disturbed, and the prospect was 
not encouraging. The Board was at this 
time paying four hundred dollars toward 
the support of the pastor. The Church 
had pledged the Board that it would ask no 
further aid as soon as their indebtedness 
was removed. It was seen that this amount 
was a large interest on fifteen hundred dol- 
lars, the sum yet owed. 

Mr. James Hague, of the South Church, 
suggested to his pastor the following plan 
by which this debt could be removed, and 
the Church enabled to fulfill her pledge of 
self-support ; namely, the Board to borrow 
the money, and get responsible persons to 
give bona fide notes with interest payable 
in two years. 1 Through the earnest efforts 
of Dr. Fish and Dr. Levy, the notes were 
procured ; and though Mr. Hague died 
before the notes became due, and the 
amount borrowed was returned, yet the plan 
he devised secured the end. 

1 The money was borrowed from Dr. Rogers, of Paterson. 



BAPTIST CITY MISSION. 45 

On the evening of January 3, i860, Mr. 
Wilson, President of the Board, paid over 
the fifteen hundred dollars, thus removing 
all claims against the Church, while Mr. H. 
M. Baldwin, according to his pledge, gave 
them the deed of the lot on which the build- 
ing had been erected. The Church unan- 
imously passed a vote of thanks to these 
brethren, and then employed the remainder 
of the evening in prayer and thanksgiving 
to God for his gracious aid in the work of 
building a house for his glory. 

The Church from this time has been self- 
sustaining — giving to the treasury of the 
Board instead of receiving from it. Through 
the blessing of God, and the generous co- 
operation of the City Mission Board, this 
result was reached in less than five years 
from the time the little band was organ- 
ized. 

The contributions of this Church since its 
organization, for benevolent objects, have 
amounted to the sum of $3,003.50. The 
membership now consists of three hundred 
and ninety-seven. 



46 NEWARK BAPTIST CITY MISSION. 

It will be also a matter of interest to 
state that during the past year, 1867-68, a 
very neat and commodious parsonage has 
been erected, adding greatly to the comfort 
and happiness of the pastor, a result which 
was much facilitated by the generosity of 
brethren who are members of sister churches. 

In concluding this sketch we are moved 
to indorse the remark of the pastor, Rev. 
Mr. Morrill, that if the City Mission Board 
had done nothing more than to plant this 
one Church in all the years of its existence, 
it would have done a noble work. But this 
is only one, the second born, of the Mission 
Church sisterhood. 





FAIRMOUNT BAPTIST CHURCH. 
HKV'. \V. D. SEIGFKIKT), PAKTOH. 



XEWARK BAPTIST CITY MISSION. 49 



FAIRMOUNT BAPTIST CHURCH. 
Constituted June 29, i860. 

In the year 1859, the building, corner of 
Bank and Wickliff Streets, formerly used 
by another denomination, known as Fair- 
mount Chapel, was reported to the Board 
as being unoccupied. Its location, the rap- 
idly growing neighborhood, and the pros- 
pect of successfully establishing a mission 
there, were the subjects of thoughtful and 
prayerful consideration by the Board. The 
result was the opening of the place for wor- 
ship, the organization of a Sunday-school, 
and finally the purchase of the property at 
a cost of over three thousand dollars. 

For the first few months the pastors of 
the several Baptist churches preached alter- 
nately each Sabbath afternoon. The Sun- 
day-school was under the efficient superin- 



5<D HISTORY OF THE NEWARK 

tendency of Mr. D. C. Whitman, of the 
South Church, and grew rapidly in num- 
bers and usefulness. In August, 1859, Rev. 
C. W. Clark was invited to preach in the 
chapel. This service resulted, soon after, 
in his call by the Board to assume the care 
of the Mission. On the 6th of October, 
Mr. Clark entered upon his labors. During 
the course of the winter the Mission enjoyed 
a quiet but refreshing revival. Twelve per- 
sons professed conversion, and the laborers 
in the vineyard were greatly encouraged. 

January 19, i860, the missionary was or- 
dained to the work of the ministry, by a 
council called for that purpose by the South 
Church. 

In April, thirty-eight persons signed a 
memorial to be presented to the Board, ex- 
pressive of their views of the importance of 
a church organization, and seeking the ad- 
vice of the Board. After mature delibera- 
tion, it was voted to approve of such a pro- 
cedure. A council was called, and met in 
the chapel June 29. Twelve churches sent 



BAPTIST CITY MISSION. 



51 



delegates. After religious services, a care- 
ful examination of the Articles of Faith, the 
prospects of the new Church, and remarks 
from several members of the Board, the 
council unanimously resolved to recognize 
the body as a regular Baptist Church 
under the name of the Fairmount Baptist 
Church. The services of recognition were 
held in the evening in the First Church. 
Rev. T. R. Howlett preached the sermon. 

The new Church called to the pastorate 
Mr. Clark, who continued his relations with 
the Board, as their missionary. 

During the course of that year, and espe- 
cially in the winter of 1860-61, the Church 
received the most evident tokens of the 
Divine favor. The number of meetings was 
increased. The gospel became the power 
of God. Forty-eight were added by bap- 
tism, and twenty-five by letter. 

In April, 1861, the Rebellion broke out, 
and the nation was called to arms. The 
sudden stoppage of almost all business so 
embarassed the Board, which had been 



52 HISTORY OF THE NEWARK 

appropriating to this Church six hundred 
dollars annually, as well as sustaining the 
other missions, that it was compelled to re- 
duce the donation. By many it was feared 
that the pastor could not be sustained. But 
a system of personal weekly subscriptions 
was devised and immediately carried into 
effect. The pastor informed the Church 
that he would remain with them at all 
events and share their sacrifices. So won- 
derfully was the Church prospered under 
these scriptural efforts, that for the first 
time in its history it was enabled to pay 
the pastor's salary regularly upon the first 
day of each month. 

The Board on several occasions assisted 
the Church in enlarging the chapel, and in 
otherwise adding to the comfort and effi- 
ciency of the congregation. But the Church 
felt an increasing necessity for better ac- 
commodations. Various plans were pro- 
posed, and as speedily abandoned, because 
the denomination had already all that it 
could sustain, — the North Church havine 



BAPTIST CITY MISSION. 53 

just commenced its long delayed work upon 
its new house of worship. 

May 30, 1864, the following resolution 
was adopted : — 

" Resolved, That this Board recommend to the Fair- 
mount Church to make an immediate effort towards 
the erection of a new house of worship." 

A committee was also appointed to co- 
operate with a similar committee to be ap- 
pointed by the Fairmount Church, to select 
and purchase a site for the proposed house. 
After a careful survey of the field, a location 
was finally selected on Bank Street, above 
Wickliffe, containing seventy-five feet front 
by one hundred feet deep. Measures were 
immediately taken to erect thereon a house 
of worship. Eight thousand dollars were at 
once subscribed by the several churches for 
that object. This amount was soon greatly 
increased, and the joint committees pro- 
ceeded with the building. The corner-stone 
was laid September 12, 1866, by the Hon. 
T. B. Peddie, of the First Church, Mayor 
of the city ; the address was made by Dr. 



54 NEWARK BAPTIST CITY MISSION. 

Dowling, of New York, and the various in- 
teresting services were participated in by 
the pastors of the several Baptist churches. 

Sunday, May 19, 1867, the lecture-room 
was opened for public worship. Dr. H. C. 
Fish, Dr. E. M. Levy, and Rev. C. E. Wil- 
son, Jr., preached on this memorable day. 

In October of the same year, the pastor, 
Rev. C. W. Clark, who had so earnestly and 
faithfully labored for the interests of the 
Church, resigned the charge and accepted a 
call from the Church at Red Bank, N. J. 

In July, the Church extended a call to 
Rev. W. D. Seigfried, who accepted the 
invitation, and entered upon his duties 
September 9, 1868. The edifice being en- 
tirely finished, was dedicated to the wor- 
ship of God on the sixteenth of September. 
The contributions for benevolent objects 
since the organization of the Church, have 
been $931. The membership at the pres- 
ent time is one hundred and sixty. 




MOUNT PLEASANT BAPTIST CHURCH. 
REV. C. E. WILSON, JR., PASTOR. 



NEWARK BAPTIST CITY MISSION. 57 



MOUNT PLEASANT BAPTIST CHURCH. 
Constituted November, 1867. 

At a meeting of the Board, held Novem- 
ber 27, 1865, an informal discussion was 
held on the prospects of the Eighth Ward 
as a field for missionary labor. This part 
of the city presented many attractions as a 
location. Broad Street — one of the finest 
avenues in the country — runs through it 
in a northerly direction. It is also on the 
direct road to Mount Pleasant Cemetery, 
the banks of the Passaic River, to Woodside 
and Belleville. The population was increas- 
ing, and improvements of the most sub- 
stantial and attractive character were being 
constantly projected. 

Other denominations had long been re- 
ported as designing to occupy the field, but 
as yet no signs of a movement were apparent. 



58 HISTORY OF THE NEWARK 

Under these circumstances, the Board felt 
it to be their duty to make an effort to pro- 
vide opportunities for religious worship for 
this destitute part of the city. 

Mr. W. S. Hedenberg, the treasurer of 
the Board, had given much attention to the 
subject, but could find no place suitable for 
holding a Sabbath-school, or other religious 
services. 

The Board listened with much interest to 
the statements made at this meeting by Mr. 
Hedenberg, and finally decided to appoint 
a committee, with power to purchase a lot 
on which to erect a mission chapel. 

The committee reported January 29, 
1866, that they had purchased a lot, seventy- 
three feet front on Broad Street, nearly op- 
posite Governeur Street, and two hundred 
feet deep. Immediate measures were taken 
to build the chapel. In November, 1866, 
the chapel was finished and opened with 
appropriate services. The Sabbath-school 
was partially organized, November 19, 1866, 
and fully so December 3, 1866, by appoint- 



BAPTIST CITY MISSION. 59 

ing Mr. D. C. Whitman, superintendent. 
There were in attendance at this time, fifty- 
four scholars and fourteen teachers. 

It will be seen that the Board wisely pur- 
chased sufficient ground on which to erect 
an edifice such as this beautiful and grow- 
ing portion of the city would, at a very early 
period, assuredly demand. The chapel 
might then be removed to the rear of the 
lot and used entirely for the Sunday-school 
and weekly services of a social character. 

On the second Sabbath in February, 
1867, Rev. C. E. Wilson, Jr., who had pre- 
viously been pastor of the Baptist Church 
at Seaville, N. J., entered the field as mis- 
sionary of the Board, preaching morning 
and evening. A formal welcome was ex- 
tended to him on the afternoon of that day, 
in which the pastors of the various Baptist 
churches, with the pastor of the neighbor- 
ing Methodist Church, participated. 

The formation of the Church occurred in 
November, 1867, with thirty-one constituent 
members. Several conversions were soon 



60 NEWARK BAPTIST CITY MISSION. 

after reported, and the Church and their 
faithful young pastor received early tokens 
of the Divine favor. Other denominations 
were provoked to zeal and good works ; 
several chapels were soon erected in the 
immediate neighborhood, and thus the com- 
munity was provided with the preaching of 
" the glorious gospel of the blessed God," 
and the children with instruction from lov- 
ing and self-denying Sunday-school teachers. 





THE PILGRIM BAPTIST CHURCH. 
REV. SAMUEL BAXTER, MISSIONARY. 



NEWARK BAPTIST CITY MISSION. 6 



J 



THE PILGRIM BAPTIST CHURCH. 
Constituted, March 8, 1 868. 

In the spring of i860 a few members of 
the Fifth Church canvassed the Tenth Ward 
for the purpose of gathering into their Sun- 
day-school the children who were destitute 
of religious education. These earnest Chris- 
tians were much affected by the moral waste 
which they witnessed in this portion of the 
city. Their compassion for the neglected 
and the perishing, induced them to devise 
means for their recovery. They accord- 
ingly hired a small room in a private house, 
and opened a school in the afternoon of 
Sunday, May 27, i860. At the first session 
there were present eight scholars. The 
school having been dismissed, the teachers 
remained for prayer. The hour for which 
the room was engaged having expired, they 



64 HISTORY OF THE NEWARK 

adjourned to the street, and there, under 
the shade of a tree, proceeded to elect their 
officers. 

The school increasing in numbers, addi- 
tional room in the same house was engaged. 
Other helpers, principally from the South 
Church, came in and offered their services. 

At the monthly meeting in July, this new 
mission enterprise was reported to the 
Board. In accordance with the request of 
the Mission, it was voted that the Board ap- 
prove the action of the brethren in establish- 
ing the school, and also of their collecting 
money to sustain it : and that it might be 
under the supervision of the Board, it was 
voted that the pastors of the South and 
Fifth churches, and one member from each 
of said churches, be a committee to counsel 
and superintend the Mission. 

The school continued to increase in num- 
bers and usefulness to such a degree, that 
its influence was apparent even in the per- 
sonal cleanliness of the scholars, and the 
good order of the neighborhood. Sabbath- 



BAPTIST CITY MISSION. 65 

breaking and other forms of ungodliness 
were greatly diminished, and occasionally 
souls were converted. 

The miserable accommodations, however, 
much impeded the working of the Mission, 
and limited the sphere of its usefulness. But 
with a zeal that could not be quenched, and 
a perseverance that must always command 
success, the Mission continued pressing its 
claims upon the denomination. At length 
Mr. H. M. Baldwin, of the South Church, 
purchased the house in which the school 
was held, and the adjoining grounds. Mr. 
Baldwin proceeded to give such a portion 
of this property to the Board as might be 
required to build thereon a chapel for the 
use of the Mission, besides subscribing lib- 
erally towards the building. 

At a meeting held May 30, 1864, the 
Board recommended that all the churches 
make a collection the next Sabbath in behalf 
of this Mission. The churches, without ex- 
ception, responded to this request, and lib- 
eral contributions were made on that day. 



66 HISTORY OF THE NEWARK 

Necessary measures were at once taken 
to erect a neat and substantial chapel. A 
building committee was appointed by the 
Board, and the work was prosecuted with so 
much energy that the building was com- 
pleted and opened for divine service early 
in July, 1864. 

The following services were now held in 
the new ohapel : preaching at \o\ a. m. by 
the German missionary, Sunday-school of 
the Tenth Ward Mission at 2\ p. m., and a 
prayer-meeting at j\ p. m., besides several 
weekly meetings. 

Mr. Samuel Baxter, having labored with 
acceptance and usefulness in the Mission in 
expounding the Scriptures, exhorting the 
people, and in visiting from house to house, 
was licensed by the South Church, of which 
he was a member, to preach. 

In April, 1867, the Board appointed Mr. 
Baxter a missionary for the Tenth Ward, at 
the same time appropriating for the Mission 
five hundred dollars for the first year. 

The subject of a church organization 



BAPTIST CITY MISSION. 6~ 

was long and prayerfully considered by the 
Board, but for various reasons was deferred. 

At the Board meeting in January, i868,-a 
committee was appointed to take the matter 
again into consideration. The committee 
met the teachers and others composing the 
Mission in the chapel on the evening of 
February 1 1, at which the subject was freely 
discussed. On motion a committee was ap- 
pointed to report at a future meeting the 
names of such persons as would become the 
constituent members, should a church be 
organized. At a subsequent meeting, the 
committee reported thirty-six names, with a 
promise of others as soon as the organiza- 
tion should be complete. The committee 
of the Mission Board were requested to in- 
form the said Board that it was the wish of 
the Tenth Ward Mission to become a regu- 
larly organized church. 

The committee reported to the Board in 
accordance with this resolution, and the 
Board unanimously voted to approve of 
an organization of a church in the Tenth 
Ward. 



68 NEWARK BAPTIST CITY MISSION. 

On Sunday afternoon, March 8, 1868, a 
meeting was held in the chapel for the pur- 
pose of organizing a church. The com- 
mittee appointed to apply for letters of 
dismission, reported that there had been re- 
ceived twenty-eight letters from the South 
Church, five from the Fifth Church, and two 
from Fairmount Church. The persons bear- 
ing these letters proceeded to organize them- 
selves into a church. Measures were also 
taken to call a council of recognition. At 
a subsequent meeting the name of " Pilgrim 
Baptist Church" was unanimously adopted. 

The council met, and after examination 
unanimously voted to proceed to recognize 
the body as a regular Baptist Church. The 
public services were held in the evening ; 
Rev. H. F. Smith, of Bloomfield, preached ; 
Rev. D. T. Morrill gave the Hand of Fel- 
lowship, and Dr. Levy delivered the Charge. 




°*d«E 



FIRST GERMAN BAPTIST CHURCH. 
REV. JULIUS C HASSELHUHN, PASTOK- 




j&xm 



fart f iftt). 




GERMAN CHURCH AND MISSION. 

— ♦— — 

THE FIRST GERMAN BAPTIST CHURCH. 

Constituted September 7, 1849. 

E V. K. A. Fleischman, whose men- 
tal and moral worth, and earnest 
labors in behalf of his " kinsmen 
according to the flesh," have secured for him 
so large a place in the hearts of American 
Baptists, has the honor of being the first 
German Baptist minister in this country. 
He arrived in New York in March, 1839. 
Receiving an invitation to preach in New- 
ark, he came to stay one Sabbath, but was 
induced to remain. Many of the Germans, 
however, finding that he would not sprinkle 
and confirm their children, but would preach 
only those doctrines and administer only 
those ordinances for which he could find 



7 2 



HISTORY OF THE NEWARK 



authority in the Scriptures, became bitterly 
opposed to him. But the Lord was with 
him, blessed his labors, and permitted him, 
in October, 1849, to baptize three persons, 
the first Germans in this country who re- 
ceived the ordinance from a German Bap- 
tist minister. 

Mr. Fleischman soon after this time left 
Newark to labor in Pennsylvania. He con- 
tinued, however, to make frequent visits to 
this city, and from time to time souls were 
converted under the preaching of a pure 
gospel, and added to the little band of bap- 
tized believers. They united with Ameri- 
can Baptist churches, but continued to hold 
among themselves regular meetings in Ger- 
man. 

After long and patient waiting, their 
hearts desire was fulfilled by the organiza- 
tion of a German Baptist Church, Septem- 
ber 7, 1849. 

The Church was recognized September 
20, 1849, by a council consisting of dele- 
gates from the following churches : South 



BAPTIST CITY MISSION. 73 

Baptist Church, New York ; First German 
Baptist Church, New York ; and First Bap- 
tist Church, Newark. The council was or- 
ganized by appointing Dr. Summers, of 
New York, moderator. Immediately after 
the recognition services, the council pro- 
ceeded, by request of the Church, to exam- 
ine the pastor elect, with the view of ordain- 
ing him to the gospel ministry. The ex- 
amination being satisfactory, Mr. S. Kiipper 
was solemnly ordained by prayer and the 
laying on of hands. Mr. Kiipper having 
resigned his charge March [, 1850, the 
Church were without a pastor more than 
eighteen months. 

In October, 1851, Mr. A. Hiini was or- 
dained to the work of the ministry in the 
First Baptist Church, by the request of the 
German Church which had called him to be 
their pastor. The number of their mem- 
bership had increased to thirty. 

After a successful pastorate of four years, 
Mr. Hiini resigned February 7, 1856, the 
Church having then fifty-eight members. 



74 HISTORY OF THE NEWARK 

A call was extended to Mr. Conrad Bor- 
denbender in August, 1856. Mr. B. was or- 
dained in the First Baptist Church, August 
26, 1856. Mr. Bordenbender labored ear- 
nestly for over five years, during which time 
the membership increased to ninety. He 
resigned October 31, 186 1. 

The Church called Rev. J. C. Hasel- 
huhn, of Wilmington, Del., who began his 
labors in Newark, January, 1862. Until 
1 86 1, the Church suffered greatly for the 
want of a house of worship, having always 
met in hired rooms, sometimes unfavorably 
located and otherwise inconvenient. The 
necessity of a proper place for worship was 
keenly felt by their American brethren as 
well as by themselves. The subject w r as 
more than once introduced and discussed 
at the anniversary meetings of the City 
Mission. 

In February, 1859, the Church resolved 
to make an effort to secure a house of wor- 
ship. Committees were appointed ; one to 
solicit subscriptions, and the other to select 



BAPTIST CITY MISSION. 75 

a proper place. Subscriptions among them- 
selves soon amounted to over a thousand 
dollars. The Church then resolved to lay 
their case before the City Mission Board. 
The Board kindly received them and gave 
them much encouragement. It was also 
voted that the German Church be invited 
to appoint delegates to represent them in 
the Board. A committee consisting of 
D. M. Wilson, of the First Church, J. O. 
Nichols, J. M. Barrows, and R. Johnston, of 
the South Church, was appointed to coop- 
erate with the German Church in selecting 
a location for a house of worship. About 
this time the German Presbyterian Church 
in Mercer Street, above High Street, was 
offered for sale. The joint committees were 
unanimously in favor of purchasing the 
same. The Church, February 5, 1861, 
authorized the Mission Board to buy it for 
them, at the price of twenty-five hundred 
dollars, which was accordingly done. Thir- 
teen hundred dollars, which the German 
brethren had raised among themselves, was 



J 6 NEWARK BAPTIST CITY MISSION. 

paid on it. The balance the Board became 
security for, besides repairing and putting 
the house in good order. 

The dedication services were held April 
7, 1 86 1. In the morning the dedication 
sermon was preached by Rev. K. A. Fleisch- 
man, of Philadelphia. In the afternoon a 
general meeting was held, and address.es 
made by Drs. Fish and Levy. In the 
evening interesting services were held in 
German, and the occasion was one of joy 
and gladness to the little band who had 
been so long without a religious home. 

In 1864 an effort was made to pay off 
the debt that still remained against their 
chapel. The Church raised two thousand, 
and the balance was paid by the American 
churches. These results placed the Ger- 
man Baptists in Newark in a position for 
aggressive movements among their coun- 
trymen. 

The contributions of this Church for be- 
nevolent objects have amounted to $4,092.93. 
The number of members is two hundred 
and twelve. 




TWELFTH WARD MISSION CHAPEL. 
REV. J. C. KRAFT, MISSIONARY. 



NEWARK BAPTIST CITY MISS1CN. 79 



THE TWELFTH WARD MISSION. 

The increase of the German population 
has been a marked feature in the growth of 
the city. In every direction they have been 
building homes for themselves, and extend- 
ing: their influence. The Twelfth Ward 
was so largely composed of this element as 
to attract the attention of the members of 
the German Baptist Church. The delegates 
from this Church brought the condition of 
the Ward before the Mission Board. The 
Board at once appointed a committee with 
instructions to secure a place suitable for a 
Sunday-school. No better place could be 
found than a private house which had been 
a drinking-saloon. This was rented and 
opened as a mission station. The second 
Sunday in June, 1863, a Sunday-school was 
organized with one hundred scholars and 
sixteen teachers. Religious services were 



80 HISTORY OF THE NEWARK 

held immediately after school, and the pas- 
tor of the German Church, Rev. J.C. Hasel- 
huhn, preached regularly every Sunday 
afternoon for more than one year. 

As the field needed more labor than Mr. 
Haselhuhn could bestow upon it, a mission- 
ary was appointed at a salary of six hundred 
dollars, who began his labors in September, 
1864, but resigned in a few weeks after his 
appointment. Rev. A. Transchel entered 
upon the work soon after, and preached ac- 
ceptably to the Germans in both the Tenth 
and Twelfth Wards, until his removal to 
Buffalo, in 1866. 

In May of the same year, Rev. C. Kraft, 
of New Brunswick, was appointed at a sal- 
ary of eight hundred dollars. 

As the dwelling-house in Niagara Street 
proved entirely inadequate for the Sunday- 
school and mission, a committee was ap- 
pointed by the Board to select suitable lots 
and erect a chapel. A location corner of 
Niagara and Patterson Streets was pur- 
chased, and a commodious chapel was 



BAPTIST CITY MISSION. 8 I 

erected thereon, at a cost of about five thou- 
sand dollars. The dedication of this new 
house of worship occurred on Sunday after- 
noon, September 4, 1866. 

The field has thus far proved to be an ex- 
ceedingly hard one. Romanism and infi- 
delity are predominant. The missionary 
can only reach them by much self-denial, 
and by visiting from house to house. A 
few, however, have been converted, and the 
Sunday-school contains at present over one 
hundred and fifty children. Through the 
power of the gospel which is being preached 
by a faithful missionary, and the earnest 
labors of the members of the German Bap- 
tist Church, there is much to encourage the 
friends of Christ, that a time of ingathering 
will come, and in place of the little chapel 
will be erected a substantial and attractive- 
church edifice. The Germans are attracted 
by good and commodious houses of wor- 
ship, and are exceedingly fond of music. 
While it is not proper to encourage extrav- 
agance in either, yet it is wise to consult the 



82 NEWAK BAPTIST CITY MISSION. 

taste and education of men in all things that 
are lawful. Fidelity to our own principles 
does not necessarily involve a blind and 
bigoted opposition to everything that dif- 
fers from our habits and customs. Things 
indifferent should be allowed to be indif- 
ferent, and all our zeal and fidelity concen- 
trated on what is essential both in faith and 
practice. 





FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. 
REV. HENRY C. FISH, D. D., PASTOR. 




$art £ijtt|). 



SKETCHES OF FIRST AND SOUTH CHURCHES. 



FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. 



Constituted June 6, 1 80 1. 



ftt^tr? AVING given a view of church 
extension in Newark, it is desir- 
able, for completeness, to intro- 
duce here a brief history of the 
two churches out of which this movement 
sprang. 

The First Church was formed on the 6th 
of June 1801, of five brethren and four sis- 
ters, all except two members of the Lyons 
Farms Baptist Church, one of the oldest in 
the State. Worshipping at first in a school- 
house, and struggling forward in great 
weakness, it was not until the year 1806 
that they were able to occupy a home of 
their own, which consisted of a small meet- 

6 



86 HISTORY OF THE NEWARK 

ing house, 35 by 45 feet, on Academy Street, 
corner of Halsey Street. This church edi- 
fice was taken down and replaced with one 
48 by 68 feet, and costing over $5,000, in 
the year 18 10. And yet again, in 1841, this 
house underwent thorough repairs and im- 
provements, consisting, in part, of the addi- 
tion of a vestibule and lecture-room, at a 
cost of $3,000. The picture of the old First 
Church edifice, in the front part of this 
volume, presents an accurate view of the 
house in its improved condition, and as it 
stood until it was finally sold upon the re- 
moval to a new location. 

Of pastors, the Church has had fourteen. 
The progress of the cause, in its outward 
manifestation, can best be seen in the two 
tables which are here given. 



BAPTIST CITY MISSION. 



87 



^ 


ti 


u 


aj 


■J 


N 










<1> 


& 


■Jd 








> 


CU 


0) 


rO 


X 


5 


t4H 


-j 


O 


p. 


g 


a) 


^ 


r^ 


U 


" | - J 






J_, 


^ 








+-> 


^ 




"*- J 


a 






X 


G 






O 
1/1 


O 



CU _rj 

„ cu 

03 

c o 

CU r* 

m G c/3 



'- 1 CU bJD 

2 ^ '22 

bjo « ^_ 
.S « ° 

> r-Q CU 

o a a 

3 <^ ■£ 

CU <h_| & 

CU fl 



1 °° 

1 1 


1 I ! 1 co 1 M m | | | | | | | 


'3 



v~) OnOO 1 O I 1 01 N co 00 On 1 co 
wwhh rt On ^- O CO 


,3 a> 

£ a 

[»*- aj 


* 

N Tt-i-c a«00 t — 1— 1 CO CO >-i 00 On CO 

fO^N" -OO^i-ii-ivOvO COO 

M >-ll-lhHl-HC^NrO COOO 


c3 

a) 


+ + +1 1+ 1 | | So 


so 

O 
,C 

c3 
h^ 

a) 
_o 

5 


O - CO , ~ .r^OcH' - ' O , ~ 

vo OO *r. w ~ ^„ rOrO^^"lJi 

„ <u r-j <u - «r^H rs [j -it- <u 

" ci ao ^ c a cl,^ rf ao 


H T3 

a> a) 

if 


vO OnVO CO O 00 On^OO rfvOvO I O 
m N OO m OnOO On CI 
On 
1 


CO 

g s 


M^fON N OnOO On m O CO On On O 
hi co m\D r^OOOMMi-ixococo 

h h h h m « « rorO 




n£> CO 
N . . ■ .. . N . . • ^j- . 
O -sh 00 GO M 00 m 
00 00 "- 1 "- 1 ^ 2,1-i.lo 
-'oonwoom -.oo 0c £)ON._roo 

-CO O w - 1 <M ft M CO „ CO 5 O -1 

>nhWO0 -00 S^ -CO OO 'O „ 


O 
1 


co 
as 

a 




Q 


W H _^ T ' N fc Qj _ H - U 

>>■>>>■>>>>>>>>> 

J)DODDODU<l)IUD<UDll) 



<u <u 
'55 o 



00 C 
1-1 o 

° r- 



88 



HISTORY OF THE NEWARK 



The following table exhibits the Number of Bap- 
tisms, and the Number of Members, for any given year 
up to the present time, December, 1868 : — 



Year . . 


1801 


1802 


1803 


1804 


1805 


1806 


[80/ 


[80^ 


1809 


181c 


1811 


Baptized 




6 


2 


4 


2 


2 


n 


13 


16 


23 


4 


Members 


13 


17 


33 


36 


34 


33 


34 


46 


60 


88 


84 


Year . . 


1812 


1813 


1814 


1815 


1816 


1815 


1818 


1819 


1820 


1821 


1822 


Baptized 


2 


1 


6 


2 


2 


37 


28 


3 





2 


3 


Members 


64 


? 


70 


72 


82 


no 


122 


120 


120 


112 


109 


Year . . 


1823 


1824 


1825 


1826 


1827 


1828 


1829 


1830 


1831 


1832 


1833 


Baptized 


4 


1 


1 


9 


7 


2 


1 


2 


8 


8 


H 


Members 


112 


108 


102 


102 


103 


107 


no 


in 


113 


120 


128 


Year . . 


1834 


1835 


1836 


1837 


1838 


1839 


1840 


1 841 


1842 


1843 


1844 


Baptized 


9 


12 


23 


12 


9 


7 


48 


13 


n 


7 


6 


Members 


149 


164 


203 


221 


216 


213 


257 


264 


270 


261 


306 


Year . . 


1845 


1846 


1847 


1848 


1849 


1850 


1851 


1852 


1853 


1854 


1855 


Baptized 


7 


7 


30 


9 


/ 


30 


42 


25 


21 


106 


36 


Members 


322 


33i 


372 


380 


376 


339 


37% 


39i 


433 


55o 


492 


Year . . 


1856 


1857 


1858 


1859 


i860 


1861 


1862 


1863 


1864 


1865 


1866 


Baptized 


25 


18 


236 


19 


29 


25 


n 


6 


125 


16 


152 


Members 


462 


495 


73o 


703 


716 


709 


697 


673 


777 


75i 


901 


Year . . 


1867 


1868 




















Baptized 


13 


15 




















Members 


900 


863 





















BAPTIST CITY MISSION. 89 

From the foregoing tables it will be seen 
that the Church has been destitute of pas- 
toral care for more than nine years. Also, 
that in the remaining forty-one years, up to 
the present pastorate, the average term of ser- 
vice was about two years and eleven months. 
The most protracted pastoral service, except 
the present, was rendered by David Jones ; 
the second in length, by H. V. Jones ; the 
third, by Daniel Dodge ; and the fourth, by 
Charles Lahatt and William Sym. Deduct- 
ing the time of service of these five brethren, 
the average length of the pastorate under 
the nine remaining ministers, was but about 
one year and four months. The present 
unfinished pastorate extends thus far 
through eighteen years. 

The total number of additions to the 
Church by baptism up to the present pastor- 
ate, was 511 ; since then, 919 ; total since 
organization of the Church (sixty-seven 
years), 1430. Average per year for the first 
fifty years, a fraction above 10. Average 
per year since then, a fraction above 51. 



9<D HISTORY OF THE NEWARK 

The periods of the greatest weakness and 
severest trials of the Church, have been 
those of its most frequent change in the 
pastoral relation. 

The darkest period in the history of this 
Church was in the winter of 1811 and 181 2. 
The flock was without a shepherd, scattered, 
distracted by internal dissensions, and 
threatened with pecuniary calamity. The 
following action as to a Church debt tells 
its own story : — 

" Moved,' That brethren James Beach and Tabez 
Pool be a committee to wait upon Mr. , inform- 
ing him of the impoverished state and truly distressing 
circumstances of the Church. Resolved, To throw our- 
selves entirely on the clemency of Mr. , trusting 

alone in the- mercy of God to direct the affair, and in 
submission to His will, wait the event." 

But, although this Church, particularly in 
its early experiences, had many and sore 
trials, its history as a whole is luminous with 
the goodness of God. And it must be 
noted, that its missionary era was the era of 
increasing strength. When it began to care 



BAPTIST CITY MISSION. 9 1 

for others, God especially cared for it. In 
1836, twelve members disconnected them- 
selves from the parent body, and formed the 
Second Baptist Church in Market Street, 
under the supervision of Rev. P. L. Piatt. 
But in less than five years the Society dis- 
banded ; and it appears that the movement 
was ill advised. With this exception, the 
First Church stood as the sole American 
Baptist body in Newark until the expira- 
tion of a half century, when the South 
Baptist Church was constituted, as the re- 
sult of a true Christian enterprise. 

The benevolent contributions of the 
Church cannot be fully ascertained. There 
is extant a memorandum bearing the date 
of 18 18, showing that that year $i i.oo were 
given to the New York Missionary Asso- 
ciation. In 1834 it was reported to the 
New York Association that the Newark 
Church had given $167.00 to benevolent 
objects. In 1836 the sum was $675.00; in 
1846, $1,108.00; in 1847, $1,192.57 5 an d in 
1848, $1,558.54. 



9 2 



HISTORY OF THE NEWARK 



The following table presents at a glance 
the aggregate yearly benevolent contribu- 
tions of the Church so far back as statistics 
can be obtained : — 



1849 

$1,861.04 


1850 
$1,204.36 


185 1 
$1,566.08 


1852 

$2,034.00 


1853 

$3,242.34 


1854 
$3,872.00 


1855 

$2,242.25 


1856 
$2,855.00 


1857 

$4,395.00 


1858 
$2,275.00 


* i859 

$1,090.50 


i860 
$2,092.44 


1861 

$1,525.00 


1862 

$1,025.00 


1863 
$550.21 


1864 
$2,351.00 


1865 
$3,815.00 


1866 

$6,900.00 


1867 
$14,350.00 


1868 

$12,600.00 



The total of these figures for twenty years 
is $64,946.22 ; or an average of $3,247.31 a 
year. 

Besides these sums given for missionary 
objects, the pecuniary strength of the 
Church has lately been severely taxed in 
the erection of the new church edifice ; the 
corner-stone of which was laid October 4, 
1858, and which was dedicated May 23, 
i860. The necessity of a new house had 
long been felt; and the undertaking was 
only deferred that the City Mission work, 
sketched elsewhere, might have the benefit 



BAPTIST CITY MISSION. 93 

of the united energies of the denomination. 
But the accessions to the membership from 
the " Great Revival/' and other circum- 
stances, intensified the demand for more 
ample accommodations. 

The first formal movement in this direc- 
tion was at a Church meeting held April 23, 
1858, when the subject of a new house was 
introduced and favorably considered, but 
laid over to a special meeting. The follow- 
ing is a copy from the Church Records of 
the doings of the meeting held by appoint- 
ment : — 

" A special meeting. April 26, 1858, of the Church 
and congregation was convened by a call of the Trus- 
tees publicly read from the pulpit. Opened with sing- 
ing and prayer. After which D. M. Wilson was called 
to the chair, and Isaiah Peckham was appointed Sec- 
retary. The Chairman stated that the object of the 
meeting was to take into consideration the propriety 
and necessity of erecting a new house of worship for 
the accommodation of the Church. Brother Andrews 
requested that the first chapter of Haggai might be 
read. The pastor read the chapter. After an informal 
exchange of views, brother Andrews offered a resolu- 
tion : *' That the time has come in the providence of 



94 HISTORY OF THE NEWARK 

God when we are imperatively called upon to proceed 
in the erection of a new house of worship.' The reso- 
lution was unanimously adopted, and the vote was very 
large. Subscriptions were then taken up amounting 
to the sum of $10,800." 

Building and finance committees were 
appointed, and in June the plan of the 
house was voted upon and adopted; the 
carpenter work being assigned to the skill- 
ful and faithful hands of one of the mem- 
bers, Deacon David D. Dunn. 

It was intended from the first that there 
should be no Church debt upon the house 
when completed ; and the supposition was, 
that the subscriptions actually obtained, or 
easily available, would cover the expense, 
the old house and lot paying for the new 
lot. But the financial panic of 1857 and 
1858, and the breaking out of the civil war, 
disappointed these expectations. The sub- 
scriptions in great part could not be col- 
lected, and the old Church property did not 
find a ready sale, so that the interest on 
the purchase-money of the new lot had to 
be annually paid, besides providing for the 



BAPTIST CITY MISSION. 



95 



Church debt proper. The generosity of the 
congregation was again and again brought 
into requisition, and some almost wearied 
of giving, and despaired of ever seeing the 
end of pressing dues and persistent appeals. 
The financial ability of an efficient Board 
of Trustees, and the utmost help of pastor 
and people, scarcely sufficed to meet the 
emergency. Indeed, about the beginning 
of 1863, an unpaid claim was so far pressed 
that the Church property was technically 
in the sheriff's hands. This perplexed and 
embarrassed state of mind on the part of 
the brethren from pecuniary troubles, seri- 
ously impaired the spiritual condition of 
the Church ; but no one could discover a 
door of deliverance. At his own instiga- 
tion, Dr. Fish visited Mr. John M. Davies 
and a few other liberal brethren in New 
York city, and laying before them the whole 
case, obtained a subscription of several thou- 
sands of dollars, conditioned upon the pay- 
ment of the whole debt of $25,000, except 
that upon the Church lot (which was soon 



96 HISTORY OF THE NEWARK 

afterward met by the disposition of the old 
property). This subscription from a neigh- 
boring city agreeably surprised and gave 
heart to the members of the Church and 
congregation, and it was determined to 
make one effort more to sweep away the 
encumbrance. The strain was heavy alike 
upon the pastor and the brethren and the 
Baptists generally in the city ; but through 
the mercy of God the attempt was crowned 
with success, and sincere thanksgivings 
upon the following Sabbaths ascended to 
heaven from a worshipping assembly, at 
length free from debt. 

The following, taken from a copy of the 
" Examiner," bearing date February 26, 
1863, may here be fittingly introduced: — 

" The First Baptist Church in Newark, N. J., of which 
Dr. H. C. Fish is the pastor, has done itself honor. 
They had hoped to enter their new house of worship 
free from debt. But this hope was frustrated by the 
financial troubles of the times, and the Church has, for 
some time, been burdened by an unpaid balance of 
$25,000. The members of the Church were moved by 
a holy ambition to attempt to shake off the incubus, 



BAPTIST CITY MISSION. QJ 

and by their generous efforts, and with the help of a 
few friends in New York, they have now provided for 
every dollar of the debt. The Church is much rejoiced 
at its freedom. We heartily congratulate not only our 
Newark friends on the energy and generosity with 
which they have ensured success for their enterprise, 
but also Baptists in general on the evidence which this 
movement gives of the prosperity of one of the largest 
of our churches." 

The edifice thus completed and paid for, 
is located in the centre of the city, upon 
Academy Street, and within a few rods of 
the largest avenue, Broad Street. In its 
main parts it is built of brown chiseled 
stone, in the Romanesque style of architec- 
ture, extending one hundred and seven feet 
in depth, by seventy-two feet front ; and is 
surmounted by two turrets, each one hun- 
dred and twelve feet high. The first floor 
is divided into a Lecture Room, forty-two 
by sixty-six feet, two Social Rooms, or 
Church Parlors, twenty-five by thirty-three 
feet (which three rooms may be converted 
into one by sliding partitions), and an In- 
fant Class and Library Room. The second 



98 HISTORY OF THE NEWARK 

floor, or main Audience Room, is inter- 
sected by four aisles, with permanent sit- 
tings for about fourteen hundred persons. 
The Singers' Gallery and Organ are behind 
the pulpit, at a slight elevation, to facilitate 
congregational singing. The Baptistery is 
immediately under the pulpit, the floor of 
which is its movable cover, and has Retiring 
Rooms on either side. The whole building 
is every way substantial, attractive, and con- 
venient, and cost, with the lot and the fur- 
nishing, about $50,000, w T hich is not one 
third of the present value of the property. 

Revivals of religion have been a marked 
characteristic of this Church. Particular 
mention should be made of seasons of 
awakening in the ministries of brethren Sym 
and Jones, and those of more recent years. 
The most remarkable of these gracious visit- 
ations was that which is denominated the 
"Great Revival," in 1857 and 1858. As 
this period was memorable all over the land 
for God's converting power, and perhaps in 
no place more so than in Newark, the na- 



BAPTIST CITY MISSION. 99 

ture and results of the powerful work in the 
First Church may here be properly put 
upon permanent record. 

The earliest indication of a better state of 
things, was an intense yearning for its exist- 
ence. This was seen, particularly, in the 
latter part of December, by which time the 
Sabbath preaching and week-day evening 
remarks looked almost wholly to a holier 
and more earnest and active state of the 
Church. As yet, however, this deep solici- 
tude was limited to a very few individuals, — 
apparently not more than half a dozen be- 
sides the pastor, and at the first, not even to 
so many. Where it did exist, it was almost 
crushing ; and particularly on one occasion, 
at an evening prayer-meeting, the burden of 
spirit was so great on the part of the pastor, 
as to incapacitate him for the conduct of the 
meeting, and he sat in his chair giving way 
to suppressed sighs and tears, leaving the 
meeting to take care of itself. 

About this time one extra weekly prayer- 
meeting was held, and after a little, two ; and 



IOO HISTORY OF THE NEWARK 

finally, perhaps threescore of the brethren 
and sisters met every evening, by common 
consent, to pour out their prayers to God, 
and to talk of the languishing state of Zion. 
No souls had as yet been converted, if in- 
deed awakened ; and it was often remarked, 
that it was not desired that the brethren 
should sing and pray and talk too much 
about the conversion of sinners ; they were 
not yet thoroughly reconverted themselves ; 
and it was needful that the work "get roots " 
in their own hearts, by confession and suppli- 
cation and exhortation, and the alternations 
of hope and fear. The tree would be the 
more fruitful by cropping and pruning it 
severely. When the Church was right — at 
least a small part of it — then it would be 
time to turn attention to sinners. 

Not long, however, was it possible to re- 
strain the rising desire for the salvation of 
others. The longing was towards dying 
men ; and it is remembered that one brother 
wished (to use his own expression) that the 
Lord would give them one kid over which 



BAPTIST CITY MISSION. IOI 

to make merry. The boon was not long 
withheld. One soul of the few unconverted 
in the meetings, was awakened and renewed, 
and then another ; others came, and others 
still ; the meetings increased, and soon were 
transferred, of necessity, from the lecture- 
room to the body of the house. These 
meetings were continued nearly every eve- 
ning till near the middle of May. 

When the work was reaching its great- 
est strength, and the audience-room was 
crowded, even to the extra seats, it was sug- 
gested by some whether another minister 
might not be invited to labor with the pas- 
tor, and so economize his strength, and save 
him, perhaps, from entire prostration. It 
was concluded, however, with one mind, to 
call in no outside help, but to look to the 
Lord, and pray and labor on. With the 
exception of a single week, when the pastor 
was called away to visit a sick mother, resort 
was not had to outside help. Indeed, this 
has not been done in any of the revivals. 

The specific form of effort was the prayer- 
i 



102 HISTORY OF THE NEWARK 

meeting. Not a solitary sermon, as such, was 
preached, except on Sunday, and then only 
two. Even the usual weekly lecture was 
dispensed with. But the exposition and en- 
forcement of the inspired word were never 
more constantly brought into requisition. 
After the opening of the meeting, ten or fif- 
teen or twenty minutes were always given 
to this exercise. The design was, especially, 
to open up, and affirm and re-affirm, in every 
possible way, the two great facts of theology 
— man a sinner, and Christ a Saviour — 
and to press home the duty of an immediate 
attention to the things of salvation. Christ 
was continually insisted upon and held up 
to view as the Saviour of the lost, and the 
Word of God was never more honored of 
God as the chosen instrument unto salva- 
tion. Almost every Sabbath-discourse, par- 
ticularly, seemed to fall with power upon 
the congregation eager to receive it ; and 
the fruits were perceptible during the week, 
in the awakening or relief of souls. 

Besides pastoral visitations, an inquiry 



BAPTIST CITY MISSION. 



IO3 



meeting was held an hour before the ordi- 
nary evening meeting, in the lecture-room, 
where each one present was conversed with 
personally, and the way of salvation was 
minutely explained and illustrated. This 
means was greatly blessed. Two tracts 
should be mentioned as especially useful : 
" Don't Put it Off," and " What is it to be- 
lieve on Christ." Hundreds of the latter 
were given away, and in scores of instances 
did God employ this silent messenger to 
bring light and relief. In later works of 
grace, the forty-eight page tract, " Two 
Questions," — "Is your Soul Safe?" and 
" How can I be Saved ? " were greatly use- 
ful. It should alsobe said, that the brethren 
and sisters, especially the Sabbath-school 
teachers and converts, were active in exhor- 
tation and invitation, and God owned and 
blessed abundantly their labors. 

There was not much speaking in the 
prayer-meetings, except in some stages, by 
the converts, nor much singing ; praying was 
the main feature. Every exercise was short 



io4 



HISTORY OF THE NEWARK 



and spirited. Not unfrequently special 
prayer was offered at the close of the meet- 
ing, for those who were so oppressed with 
feeling as to be unable or unwilling to leave. 
At these seasons, six or eight of the breth- 
ren, out of the few that tarried, oftentimes 
prayed. When the work looked like ceas- 
ing, prayer-clusters of this kind were formed 
to pray to God for its continuance ; and 
cases of awakening were always multiplied. 
The anxious were never invited forward, 
but such as desired prayers were requested, 
towards the close of the meeting, to arise. 
This act of committal was often attended 
with great good. 

The number of conversions it is impos- 
sible to ascertain ; probably it would reach 
three hundred, at least. Two hundred and 
thirty-five were baptized, most of them re- 
cent converts. Of these, one half were heads 
of families — fathers and mothers. About 
one hundred of the two hundred and thirty- 
five were males. A larger number were over 
forty than under twenty years of age ; the 



BAPTIST CITY MISSION. 105 

average being about thirty. About two 
thirds of those added, were unaccustomed 
before to worship with this Church, either 
attending nowhere, or holding connection 
with other congregations. As far as possi- 
ble they were all put at work in the Sunday- 
school and elsewhere. The younger por- 
tion organized themselves into a Young 
Converts' Prayer-meeting, and the older 
into an Adult Converts' Prayer-meeting. 

As another result, the gifts of the previous 
members were materially developed and im- 
proved, and new attainments were made in 
the divine life. It is believed that the moral 
power of the Church was doubled in the 
space of a few months. 

Some of the main features of this re- 
markable work were the following : — 

1 . The evident presence of the Holy Spirit. 
It was of God, and not of man. The Spirit 
went before, the preacher and laborer fol- 
lowed after. 

2. Clearness and depth of conviction for 
sin. Moralists suddenly saw themselves 



106 HISTORY OF THE NEWARK 

to be the chief of sinners, and stout and 
hard-hearted men were made to weep like 
children under a sense of their guilt and 
danger. In several cases, awakened men 
were unable to prosecute their daily busi- 
ness, and not unfrequently did the anxious 
tell of their sleepless nights, and their deep 
burden of spirit. In one case, a man sitting 
up to pray until after midnight, seemed, as 
he said, to be sinking through the floor ; 
and rising from his knees, could scarcely 
walk. In another, a sturdy man, hitherto 
unmoved, was seen standing in the vestibule 
of the church, with his long beard all jew- 
eled with the tear-drops that were rolling 
from his eyes. Another man declared that 
he had carried a " cannon ball " in his heart 
for days together, and that if it had been 
continued for three days longer he could 
not have lived. He could neither sleep nor 
eat ; and yet, a few days before, he was as 
unmoved as a rock. In another case, a man 
in middle life came to see the pastor, and 
on entering the house, cried aloud as he 



BAPTIST CITY MISSION. IOJ 

told of his sins, and was so agitated that 
he trembled from head to foot, and could 
scarcely sit in his chair. Several times, 
while he was being told what he must do to 
be saved, he burst out crying, and exclaimed, 
"0, but I have been such a sinner! " Another 
man wholly suspended his work, stayed at 
home, read his Bible and prayed, and seemed 
to be actually waxing poor in flesh from in- 
tense concern of mind. He was the pic- 
ture of despair. All these were men in ma- 
ture life, and hitherto self-righteous moral- 
ists. 

3. A clear insight into the way of salva- 
tion through Christ, on the part of the con- 
verts. In most cases, the sum of the an- 
swer for the hope of salvation, was, " Christ 
died /" In most cases, it was the sight of 
the cross that brought relief. As a conse- 
quence, the converts were generally strong, 
and went on their way obeying and rejoic- 
ing. Taken as a whole, the relation of ex- 
periences was satisfactory in the highest 
degree. 



I08 HISTORY OF THE NEWARK 

4. Its freedom from noise and excitement. 
No careless observer would have perceived 
anything remarkable. The meetings were 
uniformly solemn, almost like a funeral : — 
no audible groanings or rejoicings, and 
nothing whatever to which the most fastid- 
ious could take exception. 

5. The honor put upon prayer, and the 
ordinary means of grace. Answer to prayer 
was oftentimes direct and almost instan- 
taneous. In some of the most earnest and 
importunate of combined supplications, the 
brethren were as conscious that they were 
heard above, as if it had been expressly re- 
vealed to them. Directness in prayer was a 
marked feature. Now, the one point was the 
awakening of sinners ; now, the relief of the 
burdened ; and then again, the efficiency of 
the word preached. Beyond these three 
things the range of prayer did not often 
extend, and in some cases, the wrestling 
rose well-nigh to an agony of spirit. Lay- 
agency was greatly honored, and, as already 
remarked, the plain and pointed preaching 



BAPTIST CITY MISSION. 109 

of the gospel. Such, in some of its main 
features, was one of the most precious 
awakenings with which a Church was ever 
blessed. 

Large numbers of the converts gathered 
during revivals, and at other seasons, have 
in late years been dismissed to help in the 
formation of new churches within the limits 
of the city. This has also been true in re- 
spect to the experienced members. To 
give up these beloved brothers and sisters, 
often the tried helpers of the pastor, has 
been a real sacrifice. In the nature of the 
case, it must have called into exercise en- 
largedness of view and unselfishness of feel- 
ing. But it is believed that wherever one 
has felt it to be dutv to <20 out and 

J o 

strengthen the weak places in Zion, no 
obstacle has been laid in the way; while, 
on the other hand, the whole spirit of 
the preaching has tended in the direction 
of earnest individual exertion. Certainly 
those dismissed from this body within less 
than twenty years would make several effi- 
cient churches. 



I IO NEWARK BAPTIST CITY MISSION. 

But, with a present harmonious member- 
ship of more than eight hundred and fifty 
souls, and perhaps the largest Sabbath audi- 
ences of any denomination in the State ; 
with a Sunday-school averaging nearly five 
hundred ; with an average charitable distri- 
bution each year of more than ten thousand 
dollars, besides a generous outlay for cur- 
rent expenses ; and with the exercise of its 
full proportion of moral power in the com- 
munity where it is planted, the First Baptist 
Church of Newark may be instanced as an 
example of the divine principle, that " there 
is that scattereth and yet increaseth : " — 
a point which is prominently dwelt upon 
in the closing chapter of this work. 





SOUTH BAPTIST CHURCH. 
REV. EDGAR M. LEVY, D. D., PAKTOR. 



NEWARK BAPTIST CITY MISSION. 



HISTORY OF THE SOUTH BAPTIST CHURCH. 
Constituted February 13, 1850. 

It is conceded by all, that the erection 
of the South Church gave the first impulse 
to the spirit of city missions. For nearly 
fifty years the Baptist cause had been in a 
dormant state. A small frame building on 
Academy Street accommodated all who 
could be induced to attend public worship 
conducted by Baptists. But little money 
was raised, and but few efforts were made 
for the enlargement of Zion. The limits of 
the city had extended on every hand, the 
population had increased at a wonderfully 
rapid rate, and other denominations had 
grown from three to seven fold, and yet 
during all this time the Baptists had ap- 
peared satisfied with their ill-constructed 
meeting-house, and with the limited influ- 



ii4 



HISTORY OF THE NEWARK 



ence they were exerting in the community. 
The gospel had been preached among them 
by able and faithful ministers, but there 
were few comparatively who seemed moved 
by it to a reception of Christ, while the 
piety of many of these even, was of a sickly 
and feeble type, like the health of children 
who have been long confined, and have had 
no opportunity for physical exercise or for 
breathing the pure air of heaven. 

It pleased God at last, however, to move 
the hearts of a few worthy men to break up 
this spell of self-satisfaction. At several 
meetings of the Church, and on the street 
and elsewhere, the subject of church ex- 
tension and Christian enterprise was in- 
troduced and earnestly advocated. These 
brethren, feeling deeply the necessity of ex- 
pansion, and moved with holy zeal for the 
advancement of Christ's kingdom, finally 
succeeded in awakening an interest in be- 
half of the movement in the minds of 
others. 

At a meeting of the Church in 1849, a 



BAPTIST CITY MISSION. 



"5 



committee was appointed " in order to take 
measures for the erection of a new church 
edifice, and for the organization and perma- 
nent establishment of a new Baptist interest 
in addition to the one now existing." 

In accordance with this resolution, a lot 
on the corner of Broad and Fulton streets 
was soon after purchased. Failing, how- 
ever, to obtain a satisfactory title, the prop- 
erty was abandoned, and the attention of 
the committee was directed to the southern 
part of the city. A location, Kinney Street 
near Broad, was at length selected, and 
measures were immediately taken to erect a 
neat and substantial structure for the wor- 
ship and glory of God. 

At a meeting held in the lecture-room of 
the First Church, February 13, 1850, of 
persons holding letters of dismission for the 
purpose of forming a new Church to occupy 
the edifice then in course of erection, Mr. 
Edward Doughty was chosen Moderator, 
and M-- D. C. Whitman, Clerk. After 
prayer, the Moderator requested persons 



Il6 HISTORY OF THE NEWARK 

holding letters of dismission, for the pur- 
pose for which this meeting was called, to 
present them. The following was read : — 

" At a regular meeting of the First Baptist Church 
in the city of Newark, N. J., held February 13, 1850, 
the following brethren and sisters, members in regular 
standing with us, were, at their own request, dismissed 
to form a new Baptist Church to worship in the house 
now being erected by this Church, in Kinney Street in 
this city, namely : Edward Doughty, John M. Davies, 
Alice S. H. Davies, Louisa Davies, Robert Johnston, 
Ann L. Johnston, Samuel Baldwin, Mary Baldwin, 
Mary Belcher, David Jones, Mary Jones, Jane B. 
Hedden, Emma Ely, James Hague, Anna Hague, 
Daniel C. Whitman, Abraham Runyon Jr., Sarah Ann 
Runyon, Jane Morris, Rebecca Shuart, Caleb H. Earl, 
Elizabeth H. Earl, Mary M. Earl, Mary Canfield, 
George P. Morrow, E. P. Morrow, Catherine Fowler, 
George H. Bruen, Mary Bruen, George M. Foster, 
Mary Law, Lydia Ann Force, Julia Wilson, Maria 
Hedden, Isaac Scribner, Caroline Scribner, I. Cam- 
field. May the blessing of God attend the formation 
of this new interest, and the same unanimity and Chris- 
tian harmony ever characterize the intercourse of the 
two sister churches which prevail between us and these 
dear brethren and sisters. 

" By order and on behalf of the Church. 

" Isaiah Peckham, Church Clerk." 



BAPTIST CITY MISSION. [ I 7 

The persons named in this letter, who 
were present, were requested to arise and 
thereby signify their assent to the formation 
of this new Church. Prayer was then of- 
fered by Mr. David Jones. Articles of 
Faith were adopted, and a covenant read 
and approved. South Baptist Church, Kin- 
ney Street, Newark, New Jersey, was 
adopted as the name by which this Church 
should be known. Mr. George H. Bruen 
was elected clerk. 

At a subsequent meeting the following 
additional names were presented, and by 
vote were received as constituent members : 
Ebenezer T. Kirkpatrick, Joseph O. Nichols, 
Eliza D. Nichols, Abraham Coles, John H. 
Cross, Nancy Johnston, Mary Earl, John 
Rees, — in all forty-five members. 

With great unanimity the Rev. William 
Hague, D. D., of Boston, was called to the 
pastorate of the Church. On motion, a 
council of delegates from Baptist churches 
was called to meet in the First Church, on 
the first Tuesday in March, for the purpose 



Il8 HISTORY OF THE NEWARK 

of publicly recognizing the body as a regu- 
lar Baptist Church. This council convened 
according to the request, Tuesday, March 
5, 1850, when, after an examination of the 
Articles of Faith, and the manner of their 
organization, it was unanimously resolved 
to proceed to recognize them as an inde- 
pendent church of Christ. The services 
were held the same evening in the following 
order : reading of the Scriptures and Prayer 
by the Rev. H. C. Fish, of Somerville, 
N. J. ; Sermon by the Rev. E. L. Magoon, 
D. D., NewYork, from Psalm cxix. 18 ; Right 
Hand of Fellowship by Rev. H. V. Jones, 
pastor of the First Baptist Church, Newark, 
N. J. ; Charge to the Church by Rev. S. J. 
Drake, Plainfield, N. J. 

The Lecture-room of the church edifice 
was opened for worship, April 14, 1850. Dr. 
Hague, the pastor, was present for the first 
time, and preached in the morning from 
Mark iv. 34. " Vestry services " was the 
subject of the discourse. In the afternoon, 
the twenty-first chapter of John was ex- 



BAPTIST CITY MISSION. 



II 9 



pounded, and the small meetings of the dis- 
ciples, with their beloved Master as their 
teacher, was the subject. 

July 18, 1850, the church edifice being 
finished, was opened for public worship. 
Dr. Hague preached from Ephesians iv. 21. 

This enterprise, so auspiciously begun, 
sent a thrill of vital energy through the 
whole body. It was now seen what might 
be accomplished by the united efforts of 
the Church of Christ in devising liberal 
things. 

The South Church continued to prosper 
under the able discourses and faithful labors 
of its distinguished pastor. Our princi- 
ples, as a denomination, were so clearly de- 
fined, and so scripturally maintained,- that 
many from other denominations were con- 
vinced and became obedient to the truth. 
Many also, among the unconverted, were 
awakened by the Spirit of God, sought 
mercy through Christ, " believed, were bap- 
tized, and added to the Church." 

The Church likewise abounded in gen- 



120 HISTORY OF THE NEWARK 

erosity. Liberal donations were made from 
time to time, towards the extension of 
Christ's kingdom in the city and through- 
out the world. Very early in the history 
of the Church, the subject of systematic 
benevolence claimed special attention. In 
July, 1850, Dr. Hague made the following 
report : — 

"Newark, July 2, 1851. 

" The Committee appointed to consider and propose 
a plan for regular and permanent contribution to ob- 
jects of benevolence, report, — 

" That they regard the object before them as one of 
the most important that can now engage the attention 
of the Church. As with us it is an acknowledged truth 
that a church is Christ's appointed instrumentality for 
the extension of His kingdom on the earth, the ques- 
tion which relates to a plan of contribution is one which 
bears directly on the grand design for which the Church 
was constituted. To the Corinthian Church the Apos- 
tle said, ' Therefore as ye abound in everything, in 
faith, in utterance, in knowledge, in all diligence, and 
in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace 
also,' that is, liberal giving. Hence it is evident that 
God has made it the duty of a church to promote His 
cause, not only by contending earnestly for the faith 
once delivered to the saints, but also by the contribu- 
tion of property. 



BAFT IS 7 CITY MISSION. I 2 I 

" In writing to this same Church, to whom the words 
just quoted were addressed, Paul gave the following 
direction : ' Upon the first day of the week let every- 
one of you lay by him in store as God has prospered 
him, that there be no gatherings when I come.' At 
that time a special object of benevolence was before 
the Church of Corinth, and the Apostle wished all the 
members of it to contribute systematically and from 
principle, with quietness and efficiency, so that he 
might not appear among them as a fiscal agent seek- 
ing for money. The direction which we have cited 
involves several important principles. 

" First, that Christian benevolence should be con- 
ducted according to a system. It should not be left to 
the mere play of impulse or the excitement of circum- 
stances. 

" Second, that this system should be comprehensive 
and pervasive. ' Let every one lay by him.' Let the 
sick and the poor meet together with their offerings of 
love at the altar of Christ. 

" Third, that the designation should be made at a 
stated time, frequently as often as once a week. On the 
first day of the week, when we thank God for redemp- 
tion and salvation, then we are bidden to lay a tax on 
our worldly income or expenditure, and to place it as 
a tribute of gratitude at the Saviour's feet. 

" Fourth, this weekly study and calculation of the 
amount of our contribution should lead us to give to 



I2 2 HISTORY OF THE NEWARK 

an extent commensurate with our power of giving. 
< Let every one lay by as God has prospered him.' 

" Here we have developed the apostolical plan of 
benevolence; a system of God's ordering — simple, 
equal, rational, effectual ; requiring nothing to sustain 
it in any church but that degree of love to Christ and 
His cause which will keep us from forgetting Him longer 
than the interval between successive Sabbaths. If we 
have real love to Him, that system would be found to 
be self-sustaining, and we have reason to believe that 
the result would prove that the hints of Scripture are 
better than volumes of man's wisdoms. 

" In view of these considerations, which might be 
more largely urged, the Committee recommend, — 

" First, that a collection be taken after the sermon, 
on the morning of every Sabbath, for the cause of 
evangelization. 

» Second, that from the funds thus accruing to the 
treasury of the Church, appropriations be made to 
specific objects of benevolence, at such times as may 
be hereafter designated. 

" All which is respectfully submitted. 

" Wm. Hague." 

This was the beginning of a system of 
Sabbath offerings which has secured a large 
amount of money in the aggregate, and has 
been a continual source of blessing to the 
Church. This system of benevolence was 



BAPTIST CITY MISSION. 



123 



farther modified in [865, when Dr. Levy, 
by direction of the Church, presented the 
following plan, by which the contributors 
know, at all times, the objects which are 
claiming their offerings and their prayers : 

" The custom, recommended by the Apostle Paul, and 
established by this Church at its organization, is still 
cherished by us as eminently the wisest and most suc- 
cessful and becoming arrangement for securing the 
contributions of God's people. It is but right that 
every Christian, as he comes to the sanctuary ' on the 
first day of the week ' to worship God and to give 
thanks 'for His unspeakable gift,' should bring with 
him a portion of the fruits with which God has crowned 
his labors. The rich should give of their abundance, 
the poor of their frugal savings, and all should give 
cheerfully and according to the measure of their 
ability. 

" The collections on each Sunday morning will be 
appropriated to the following objects and in the order 
now designated : — 

" January and February, Foreign Missions ; March, 
American Baptist Publication Society ; April, Newark 
Baptist City Mission ; May, Sunday-schools ; June, 
American Baptist Home Mission Society ; July and 
August, Miscellaneous Objects ; September, American 
and Foreign Bible Society ; October and November, 



124 HISTORY OF THE NEWARK 

New Jersey Baptist State Convention ; December, New 
Jersey Baptist Education Society, and the Ministers' 
and Widows' Fund." 

November 2, 1853, the Church was called 
to bear their first trial. Dr. Hague, their 
esteemed pastor, after a pastorate of about 
three and a half years, resigned his charge. 

The Church was supplied with preaching 
by Rev. D. T. Morrill, until March 12, 1854, 
when a call was extended to Rev. O. S. 
Stearns, of Southbridge, Mass. Mr. S. en- 
tered upon his duties May 7, 1854, on which 
occasion public services of welcome were 
held, in which several ministers of the city 
and vicinity participated. 

This second pastorate, which was so sat- 
isfactory to the Church, was destined to be 
of short duration. 

December 17, 1854, by permission of the 
Church, Rev. Dr. Sears presented himself 
as a messenger from the Baptist Church at 
Newton Centre, Mass., and described the 
need of the Church there, and made an 
urgent appeal that the South Church would 



BAPTIST CITY MISSION. I 25 

relinquish their claims upon their pastor, 
and consent to his accepting the call which 
had been made by the Church he repre- 
sented. 

The South Church, through a committee, 
addressed a letter to the Church at Newton 
Centre, declining to comply with their re- 
quest. The pastor, yielding to the warm 
expressions of affection and of earnest 
wishes that he would not sunder the ties 
which bound them together, publicly an- 
nounced, January 14, 1855, that he would 
remain with them. 

Efforts, however, continued to be made 
by the Church at Newton Centre, to induce 
Mr. Stearns to accept their invitation. 
These efforts at last succeeded. August 29, 
1855, after a pastorate of about fifteen 
months, Mr. Stearns resigned his charge. 

Rev. J. L. Hodge, D. D., was called to the 
pastoral charge of the Church, October 3, 
1855. He accepted the invitation, and in 
November entered upon his labors. 

During the pastorate of Dr. Hodge, many 



126 HISTORY OF THE NEWARK 

were converted, and a large number of per- 
sons, who from indifference had lost their 
membership in other places, having been 
induced to renew their vows, were received 
by the Church on experience. Dr. Hodge 
resigned November 8, 1857, after serving 
the Church just two years. 

Rev. J. H. Walden supplied the Church 
for three months. 

In June, 1858, the present pastor, on his 
way to fulfill an engagement with an es- 
teemed brother in the ministry in a neigh- 
boring city, was induced to stop at Newark 
and supply the pulpit of the South Church 
one Sabbath. He preached from Col. i. 19. 
" That in all things He might have the pre- 
eminence." God gave him such favor in 
the eyes of the people that, although he left 
the city early the next morning, measures 
were immediately taken to have him return 
and preach for them again. In July, he 
complied with their request. This second 
visit resulted in the Church extending to 
him a call to become their pastor. 



BAPTIST CITY MISSION. I 27 

It was not for some time after that the 
call was accepted. The relationship which 
bound him to his people in Philadelphia 
had been of fourteen years existence. It 
was his first and only pastorate. Nearly 
the entire membership had been baptized 
by him, and only a high sense of duty and 
the prospect of greater usefulness, could 
prevail on him to accept the call to the 
Church at Newark. 

On the first of October, 1858, he entered 
upon his duties here. The Church and 
congregation had become much discouraged 
and weakened by the frequent changes in 
the pastoral office. But soon the blessing 
of God attended the ministrations of his ser- 
vant, and frequent additions by baptism, 
and an increase of attendance on the means 
of grace imparted hope and encouragement 
to all. 

In 1859 a large and elegant organ was 
introduced, by the aid of which, with the 
change in the hymn book, the service of 
song in the house of the Lord was much 
improved. 



]28 HISTORY OF THE NEWARK 

Iii i860 there were constant tokens of 
the Divine favor, and conversions were re- 
ported every month. In the midst of this 
success, however, the pastor was suddenly 
prostrated by an alarming illness, which laid 
him aside for nearly three months. In 
answer to the earnest and loving prayers of 
the Church, the Lord was pleased to permit 
him to resume his labors among them. 

In 1862 the exterior of the church edifice 
was repaired and greatly improved. The 
front was faced with brown stone, which 
gave to it a substantial and neat appearance. 

In 1863, through the efforts of the pastor 
and the liberality of the Church and con- 
gregation, the interior of the sanctuary was 
remodeled and beautified. The plans and 
the execution of the work are highly credit- 
able to the architect, Mr. David S. Gendell, 
of Philadelphia, and to the decorator, Mr. 
John Gibson. 

During the winter and spring of 1864 
the Church enjoyed a precious " season of 
refreshing from the presence of the Lord." 



BAPTIST CITY MISSION. I 29 

Sixty-eight were baptized and received into 
fellowship. 

Again, in 1866, the Lord poured out His 
Holy Spirit and the Church was greatly 
revived. Nearly one hundred souls were 
baptized, and the membership reached al- 
most five hundred, being the largest, except 
one, of any Baptist Church in New Jersey. 

In 1868, the Pilgrim Baptist Church, in 
the Tenth Ward, was organized. This 
Church grew from the mission planted there 
eight years ago, by members of the Fifth 
Church. The principal support, however, 
has always been derived from the South 
Church. The ground on which the chapel 
stands, as well as most of the cost of erect- 
ing the same, were liberally donated by Mr. 
H. M. Baldwin, of the South Church, 
" whose praise is in all the churches ; " 
while nearly the entire constituent mem- 
bership went forth from this Church, with 
its blessings and its prayers accompanying 
them. 

According to the statistics of the Church, 



I3O HISTORY OF THE NEWARK 

the total number of additions has been as 
follows : Number of constituent members, 
forty-five. During the pastorate of Dr. 
Hague, from April, 1851, to November, 
1853, three years and a half, by baptism, 
ninety-one ; by letter, one hundred and four- 
teen ; by experience, three ; total number, two 
hundred and eight. 

During the vacancy in the pastoral office, 
from November, 1853, to May, 1854, by 
baptism, twelve ; by letter, two ; total num- 
ber, fourteen. 

During the pastorate of Dr. Stearns, from 
May, 1854, to August, 1855, fifteen months, 
by baptism, twenty-five ; by letter, thirty- 
eight ; by experience, one ; total number, 
sixty -four. 

During the pastorate of Dr. Hodge, from 
November, 1855, to November, 1857, two 
years, by baptism, forty-eight; by letter, 
fifty; by experience, sixteen; total num- 
ber, one hundred and fourteen. 

During the vacancy, from November, 
1857, to October, 1858, by baptism, fifteen ; 



BAPTIST CITY MISSION. \ 3 1 

by letter, fourteen ; total number, twenty- 
nine. 

During the ten years of Dr. Levy's pas- 
torate, by baptism, two hundred and fifty- 
two ; by letter, one hundred and seventy- 
three ; by experience, thirteen; total num- 
ber, four hundred and thirty-eight. 

The entire number received from all 
sources since the Church was formed, is 
nine hundred and twenty-four. Three hun- 
dred and forty-seven persons have been dis- 
missed by letter, forty-six have been ex- 
cluded from the fellowship of the Church, 
and sixty-four have " fallen asleep." 

The first named, we may charitably hope, 
are now useful and consistent members of 
sister churches ; the second, the excluded, 
awaken many painful thoughts and excite 
the prayer that they may, through the abun- 
dant mercy of God, be restored to repent- 
ance and good works. The last, those who 
have fallen asleep, lead us to say, " Blessed 
are the dead which die in the Lord ! " How 
precious is the memory of Samuel Baldwin, 



I32 NEWARK BAPTIST CITY MISSION- 

Ann L. Johnston, James Hague, Edwin R. 
Parsil, Edward Doughty, David Jones, Mary 
Jones, Mary Baldwin, and many others of 
whom " we cannot now speak particularly." 

" With us their names shall live 

Through long succeeding years, 
Embalmed with all our hearts can give, — 
Our praises and our tears." 





$att £etoenti). 




GROWTH FROM EFFORT. 

PERIOD of seventeen years has 
thus elapsed since the Newark 
Baptist City Mission Board was 
organized. In conlusion, let us 
survey the field and sum up the work. 

As before stated, in December, 1851, 
several members of the First and South 
churches met for consultation and resolved 
to organize for the prosecution of City Mis- 
sion work. 

In April, 1852, the first missionary em- 
ployed by the Board entered upon his du- 
ties. Two places for worship and for Sab- 
bath-school instruction were opened, one in 
the North and the other in the Fifth Ward. 
In 1853 the first chapel, erected for the 
Mission, was dedicated to religious worship 
in the North Ward. 
9 



134 HISTORY OF THE NEWARK 

In the same year a reinforcement to the 
working force of the Mission was made by 
the appointment of another missionary, who 
was assigned to the Fifth Ward. 

July 26, 1854, the North Ward Mission 
was organized into a Church, with a mem- 
bership of forty-nine, composed mostly of 
such persons as had been converted through 
the instrumentality of the Mission. 

In 1855 the Mission in the Fifth Ward 
was organized into a Church with fifty-six 
constituent members. 

April 21, 1858, the new edifice of the 
Fifth Church was dedicated. 

In May, 1859, the Fairmount chapel was 
purchased by the Board, and opened for 
worship ; the pastors, in their turn, preach- 
ing every Sabbath afternoon. A Sunday- 
school was also established. October 6, the 
Board engaged Rev. C. W. Clark to labor 
here as a missionary. 

January 3, i860, the debt on the Fifth 
Church was paid through the efforts of the 
Board, and the Church henceforth became a 
self-supporting body. 



BAPTIST CITY MISSION. I 35 

June 29, i860, the Fairmount Mission was 
organized into a regular Baptist Church. 

February 5, 1861, a house of worship was 
purchased for the use of the German Bap- 
tist Church, the members of which ex- 
hibited great liberality and Christian zeal in 
the accomplishment of this long desired 
object. 

July, 1864, the chapel in the Tenth Ward 
was completed, paid for, and opened for the 
use of the Mission. A German missionary 
was also engaged, who preached there in the 
morning, and in the afternoon at Hamburg 
Place, where a German mission had been 
established. 

About this time the Board also engaged 
the services of a German colporteur. 

November, 1866, the Mount Pleasant 
Mission was organized. A neat chapel was 
opened for religious services. 

February, 1867, Rev. C. E. Wilson, Jr., 
was engaged by the Board, and entered 
upon his work in the Mount Pleasant field. 

May 19, 1867, the lecture-room of the 
Fairmount Baptist Church was dedicated. 



I36 HISTORY OF THE NEWARK 

During this year (1867) a missionary was 
engaged by the Board for the Tenth Ward 
Mission. 

March 8, 1868, the Pilgrim Baptist 
Church was constituted in the Tenth Ward. 

Thus in seventeen years the Board have 
planted six missions, employed nine mis- 
sionaries and one colporteur. They have 
aided in, the organization of five churches, 
assisted in the building of three substan- 
tial houses of worship, and four chapels. 
Through the advice and liberality of the 
same, the Germans have secured their house 
of worship, besides a commodious chapel, 
and have the services of an efficient mis- 
sionary. 

Through the direct influence of these 
missions, and the faithful labors of the mis- 
sionaries, one thousand and fifty-four per- 
sons have been baptized and added to the 
churches. There has been expended for 
the support of the missions twenty-nine 
thousand four hundred and eight dollars, 
besides the large outlay in building church 



BAPTIST CITY MISSION. I 37 

edifices proper for the Fifth, the North, and 
Fairmount churches, and much of the cost 
of the chapels for other posts, which has not 
been included in the above estimate, and of 
which no account has been preserved. 

Without the moral and material assist- 
ance thus afforded by the Board, some of 
these churches would never have been es- 
tablished ; or if they had, their existence 
would, in all probability, have been feeble 
and of brief duration. Without this, the 
church edifices and chapels which now dot 
the different sections of the city, diffusing 
light and love, joy and gladness throughout 
the community, would never have been 
erected, and the missionaries, who have 
been preaching the gospel, and laboring for 
the salvation of souls, would not have been 
sustained. Those thousands of dollars, so 
productive of good and great results, could 
not otherwise have been raised, concen- 
trated, and made conducive to the glory of 
God in the enlargement of Zion. 

While these results have been accom- 



I38 HISTORY OF THE NEWARK 

plished through the instrumentality of the 
Board, the inquiry arises, How has all this 
expenditure of strength affected the two 
churches that originated this mission enter- 
prise ? Has the bestowment on others of 
their best gifts, weakened their own work- 
ing force ? Has the money which they 
have annually raised and liberally expended 
made them poorer ? Far from it. At the 
organization of the Mission, in 1851, the 
two churches, as we have seen, had an ag- 
gregate membership of five hundred and 
six. At the present time, the membership 
of those two churches is one thousand 
two hundred and eighty-seven ; and in the 
city, about twenty-five hundred. In 1851, 
their contributions for benevolent objects 
amounted, in the aggregate, to $2,117.36. 
In 1868 the sum reported was $20,766.84. 

How forcibly do the above facts and fig- 
ures illustrate these scriptures : " There is 
that withholdeth more than is meet, but it 
tendeth to poverty." " The liberal soul 
shall be made fat ; and he that watereth shall 



BAPTIST CITY MISSION. I 39 

be watered also himself." " Give, and it 
shall be given unto you, good measure, 
pressed down, and shaken together, and 
running over." 

" Give with no faltering hand, 
Give with no grudging heart ; 
The cause is holy, — help it on, — 
You lend to the Christian's Lord." 

The blessed results of this enterprise in 
the erection of churches, in establishing 
Sabbath-schools, in fostering the grace of 
Christian charity, in the conversion of souls, 
and in extending Baptist principles, should 
encourage the Baptists of Newark to go 
forward in their great and beneficent work. 
Much remains to be done. The city con- 
tains a population of over one hundred 
thousand. These six Baptist churches and 
three chapels, — what are they among so 
many ? And the population is rapidly in- 
creasing. The advantageous location of 
the city, its broad and beautiful streets, 
its well regulated police, its commodious 
dwellings, its proximity to New York, and 



I4O HISTORY OF THE NEWARK 

its railroad facilities, are attracting the 
attention of capitalists and manufacturers, 
and inviting families to make their homes 
where they may live better and cheaper 
than in New York. It is estimated that 
in twenty-five years there will be, with- 
in the limits of the city of Newark, two 
hundred and fifty thousand souls. Now it 
will not do to wait until these come. It is 
the part of prudence and piety to make 
ready for their coming. It would be no 
more than wise and provident to build one 
chapel every year. This would give the de- 
nomination the advantage of preoccupation. 
There need be no fear of these not being 
filled. It is astonishing how soon houses 
of worship gather congregations from the 
mass of those who are non-church-goers. 
When God calls ministers to preach the 
gospel, He will call the people to hear, and 
when Christians build houses for His wor- 
ship, He will provide the means to fill them. 
The duty, then, is imperative, to be on 
the watch for opportunities to extend the 



BAPTIST CITY MISSION. 



I 4 I 



cords as well as to strengthen the stakes 
of our Zion. We are sacredly called upon 
to gird ourselves anew for the accumulating 
work we find at our very doors. 

And we have every encouragment to be 
thus faithful. Our principles are gaining fa- 
vor every year, and must continue to do so, as 
the community advances in intelligence and 
in freedom of thought. As men learn to think 
for themselves, to read the Bible for them- 
selves, to repent of sins for themselves, to 
believe for themselves, and to obey Christ 
for themselves, they will seek the churches 
which have for ages " resisted even unto 
blood " the assumptions of civil and ecclesi- 
astical tyranny, and which, discarding all the 
traditions of men, and fearlessly braving the 
sneers and misrepresentations of the world, 
have simply and earnestly required of all 
who may have sought admission into the 
kingdom of Christ, personal faith and obe- 
dience. 

Surely, when we consider what has already 
been wrought by our denomination, we are 



142 NEWARK BAPTIST CITY MISSION. 

compelled to acknowledge the hand of God, 
and to believe that He will continue to smile 
upon our efforts to advance His kingdom, 
and to maintain the honor of His word 
and the purity of His ordinances. 

" What though the gates of hell withstood, 
Yet must this building rise : 
'Tis thine own work, almighty God, 
And wondrous in our eyes." 




r^ 1 w — . "" ~ ~~ '" ~" e* J ^ ^ ~ i" 






I 
CM 



i 








st or yof newar kb 




0021 



